EUROCLIMA+ has been promoting the formation of community committees for risk and emergency management in communities exposed to events such as floods, droughts and forest fires, putting the population at risk in Ecuadorian territory.

December 24, 2019. Ecuador. Through the European Union's EUROCLIMA+ Programme and under the framework of the Risk Management component implemented by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and the French Development Agency (AFD), the "Binational Project to Reduce the Vulnerability of the Population and its Livelihoods to the Threats of Drought and Flooding in Border Territories of Ecuador and Peru" or “Risk Management without Borders” has been promoting the formation of community committees for risk and emergency management in communities exposed to events such as floods, droughts and forest fires, putting the population at risk in Ecuadorian territory.

The community committees were formed in the parish of Mangahurco, in the canton of Zapotillo, on December 12 and in the parish of Purunuma in Gonzanama, on December 19, with the purpose of strengthening public policy on risk management in the territories and to be able to articulate prevention, preparation and response actions, under the framework of the agreements and commitments, signed in the agreement with the National Risk and Emergency Management Service of Ecuador.

Eng. Fabrizio Riofrío, Zone 7 Coordinator for the National Risk and Emergency Management Service (SNGRE) in Ecuador, mentioned that the Decentralised National Risk Management System (SNDGR), consists of National Government entities, security organisations, provincial, cantonal and parochial GADs, as well as the citizenry, thereby allowing the SNGRE structure to support the Emergency Operations Committees, as well as to maintain a citizen strategy, through the preparation, formation and activation of the Community Emergency Committees.

In Mangahurco it consists of: Mercedes Farfán Becerra, President; Exar Aponte Berechez, Vice President; Iralda del Carmen Sócola, Secretary; Fernando Aponte, Vocal; Osvaldo Camacho, First Aid Brigade Coordinator; Rodrigo Aponte, Evacuation Brigade Coordinator; Marco Ramírez Ruiz, Fire Prevention Brigade Coordinator; Cristian Rueda Rueda, Promotion Group Coordinator; and, Yuleisi Ruiz Robles, Pioneer Group Coordinator. In the case of the Purununa parish, the committee is made up of Felix Manuel Luzón, President; Vicente Felipe Briceño, Vice-President; Luz Victoria Castillo, Secretary; Rusbell Jaramillo, Vocal; Tania Briceño, First Aid Brigade Coordinator; Claudia Betancourt, Evacuation Brigade Coordinator; Líder Martínez, Fire Prevention Brigade Coordinator; Richard Larreátegui, Promoter Group Coordinator; and Guadalupe González, Pioneer Group Coordinator, who under oath committed themselves to comply with the pertinent actions regarding risk management in the parish. The respective act was prepared and validated in the presence of the head of the Risk Management Unit, the Parish and political tenure Board, and representatives of SNGRE.

President Mercedes Farfán and President Felix Manuel Luzón pointed out that the Community Risk Management Committees (CCGR) are community organisations that are created with the objective of preventing and responding to emergencies or disasters by generating actions to reduce vulnerability and exposure to hazards and developing organised and coordinated actions with response agencies, with the aim of strengthening community capacities.

Work will be done to strengthen community capacities through training workshops, preparation of the community plan and its approval through a community simulation. Emergency signage will be implemented according to the resource map, tools and equipment will be provided for the brigades of the Community Risk Management Committee (CCRM) including first aid kits, fire extinguishers, fire beaters, helmets and emergency backpacks, and finally vests for the brigade members.

About the projects of the Disaster Risk Management and Reduction component: droughts and floods

A total of seven projects will be implemented through the Risk Management component of the EUROCLIMA+ programme. For more information on each project visit this link:  https://www.euroclima.org/en/risk-management

About EUROCLIMA+

EUROCLIMA+ is a programme financed by the European Union to promote environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient development in 18 Latin American countries, particularly for the benefit of the most vulnerable populations. The Programme is implemented under the synergistic work of seven agencies: the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), French Development Agency (AFD), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Expertise France (EF), International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policies (FIIAPP), the German society for international cooperation (GIZ), and UN Environment.

Contacts

For more information about EUROCLIMA+, contact Alexandra Cortés: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For information about the EUROCLIMA+ Risk Management component, write to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.