The Guatemala Outdoor Advertising Chamber (Capegua) announced on Monday, at a meeting with assistant mayors of Guatemala City Council, the installation of 22 early warning sirens at various points around the capital.
The sirens will broadcast evacuation advice in emergencies caused by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or other natural disasters, as part of a comprehensive prevention and public preparedness strategy.
The pilot began with a siren on Calzada Roosevelt. A second phase will add 13 more and, in the long term, all 22 zones of the city will be covered. The devices will be strategically mounted on elevated advertising structures, taking advantage of their visibility and sound coverage.
According to the city council, the measure is part of a wider plan including drills in neighbourhoods, buildings, places of worship and public spaces, so that people know how to act in risk situations.
A corps of 800 young volunteers, known as the “Eagles”, was also announced, trained to help with evacuation, community support and spreading emergency protocols in 171 vulnerable areas of the city.
Capegua stressed that the sirens will use smart sensors for automatic activation in the event of seismic or volcanic activity, similar to the model used in Mexico.
The overall aim of the programme is to foster a culture of prevention, ensure an early response and trigger rescue and civil protection mechanisms immediately.
