12- 14 March 2019, Puerto Rico, USA – The International Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders in Merida (CIFAL Merida) in partnership with the International Airport of Merida, Aerostar, C-Prep Programme and the International Council of Airports in Latin America and the Caribbean (ACI-LAC) joined forces to carry out the International Seminar on Hurricane Preparedness.

This training event counted with the participation of distinguished speakers such as Dr. Lixion Ávila, Specialist from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States, as well as specialists from the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico, and key stakeholders from the International Airport of Miami, Juan Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport of Puerto Rico, and the agency of emergency management of Puerto Rico, among others.  

The topics covered in this event include: Lessons learned after a natural disaster, content of the airport hurricane preparedness manual, building resilience to natural disaster in the Caribbean, natural disasters and their impact in policy-making, air traffic operations before and after a natural disaster, communications & airports, among others.

This seminar gathered 53 representatives from diverse airports in the region to share best practices. Airport representatives from Antigua & Barbuda, Jamaica, Nassau, San Juan, Santo Domingo, Dominica, Santiago, Miami, Puerto Plata, Fort Lauderdale, Merida, Puerto Vallarta and San José del Cabo took part in the seminar.

Mr. Hector Navarrete, Executive Director of CIFAL Merida stressed that Group ASUR created the Hurricane Preparedness Training Programme in 2006 after the devastating consequences of Hurricane Wilma in 2005. Since then, these seminars have contributed to strengthen the capacities of stakeholders from the region to better respond to hurricanes, highlighting the key role airports have in economic development and when disasters strike.