Exercise to ensure life and reduce damage

By: Ricardo Guzmán, Neylin Calderón, Josselyn Flores, Judith Robleto and José Garth

This Thursday, March 19, 2020, at 10:00 a.m., the large family of the University of the Autonomous Regions of the Nicaraguan Caribbean Coast (URACCAN) participated in the 1st Multi-Threat National Simulacro.

The above-mentioned exercise was carried out simultaneously in the four campuses of this Intercultural Community University, following the government's orientation of replicating this anti-dissatic practice throughout the country. The priority is to guarantee life and reduce the percentage of damage.  

Each enclosure contextualized the drill in a disaster scenario. URACCAN Bluefields, for example, raised a 6.4 tremor on the Richter scale, with aftershocks, leaving several people injured.

URACCAN New Guinea virtualized landslide from hurricane winds, partially damaging the institution's facilities.

The Bilwi compound created a 5.2 sism scenario on the Richter scale, causing fire in the kitchen area, immediately acting the brigades and risk management commissions, effectively responding to the whole problem.

URACCAN Las Minas represented a fire in the computer lab, where the successful rescue of colleagues who remain there was guaranteed and minimizing damage to infrastructure.  

Teacher Karla Mayorga, of the New Guinea campus, reported the fundamental objective is to "exercise the basic rules to prevent and control multi-threat situations that may affect students, teachers and administrative staff, implementing the site's risk management plan."

These drills represent "a commitment to prepare the entire university community for a disaster," vice-chancellor Eugenio Mairena (PhD) said. Therefore, the different institutional authorities described as positive and valuable the participation of each member of URACCAN. "All staff abide by the guidance of the institution's emergency plan," said Meyling Cuadra, Human Resources at the liaison office.

The exercise took place in 1.5 minutes, following a whistle that alerted the disaster and went through the spaces indicated by the respective security committees of each venue, until reaching a meeting point, as established by the guidelines of the municipal prevention committees.

Concern with COVID-19

Despite the national alert for the threat of coronavirus in Nicaragua, the staff of this university complied with the multi-threat drill, remaining calm, calling for peace of mind and implementing hygiene measures oriented by the Ministry of Health.