WOVO.org

World Organization of Volcanic Observatories

1402
Coordinadora Nacional para la Reducción de Desastres
CONRED
Av. Hincapié 21-72, Zona 13
Guatemala City
Guatemala

Staff:

Technical Director:

Sergio Danilo Casado. Civil Engineer.

Manager for Risk Reduction.

Otto Galicia Guillén. Geologist

Volcanic Risk Assessment:

José Ignacio Ferretti. Geologist.

Rafael Anleu Fortuny. Natural Resources Engineer.

Danilo Juarros Quinteros. Database manager.

Rüdiger Escobar Wolf. Civil Engineer.

Risk work on communities:

Mauro Rafael Fernandez. Community work expert.

Luis Urbina. Community work expert.

Ruben Avalos. Community work expert.

Mitigation work and structural vulnerability assessment:

Eugenia Garcia. Architect.

Oscar Juarez. Civil Engineer.

Responsibilities:

The “Coordinadora Nacional para la Reducción de Desastres” (CONRED) is the National Coordination Agency for Disaster Reduction, an institution that groups all the organizations, and individuals, public and private, which are involved in disaster reduction. The “Secretaría Ejecutiva” is the Executive Secretariat of CONRED, and it is the instance that executes the decisions of CONRED’s National Council. CONRED’s Scientific Council is integrated by all the institutions that deal with hazards monitoring and it’s preceded by the “Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología” (INSIVUMEH); the National Institute of Seismology, Vulcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology.

The Executive Secretariat of CONRED has implemented local information and decision taking structures, equipped with radio communication networks, in areas considered of risk. They work as early warning systems, also around the active volcanoes. The radio bases report daily to CONRED’s radio central control office, their visual observations on the volcanic activity (explosive eruptions, lava flows, lahars, ash dispersal, earthquakes, earth rumbling, etc.) and the weather conditions.

There is also a close joint work with INSIVUMEH on activity monitoring and forecasting, hazard and risk assessment and technical advice during volcanic crises. There is a daily communication between INSIVUMEH and CONRED, through specific volcanic bulletins and direct telephonic contact. As part of the Risk Reduction Department, a routinely analysis of all the information is done. During crises, updates risk scenarios are prepared using GIS tools.

6. Projects:

Programa Permanente de Monitoreo e Investigación Volcánica e Hidrológica Santiaguito – Samalá. Is a  research and monitoring program, on volcanic and hydrologic risks, for the area of Santiaguito volcano and the Samalá river.

Information updated January 2004