The mayor of Guaynabo, Edward O'Neill Rosa, together with the director of the municipal Office of Emergency and Disaster Management, Luis Iván Díaz, announced the implementation of the Trench Rescue Training in collaboration with the Puerto Rico Fire Department. Three groups have been established to be trained on the following dates:

April 23-24, 2024 (approximately 50 participants)
April 25-26, 2024 (approximately 50 participants)
May 14-15, 2024 (approx. 50 participants)

The training will be held at the Police Athletic League Theater in Lomas del Sol, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The participants of the training will be employees of the Puerto Rico Fire Department, Emergency Management and Municipal Police.

Trench Rescue Training provides the skills to understand and identify the risks and hazards involved in excavations; to interpret OSHA standards that apply to excavation safety; and to prevent injuries or fatalities during trench rescue operations.

As part of the practical training exercise, a space was identified and coordinated with the Department of Public Works to be used on the grounds of La Frontera, where a scenario will be created that will require the use of machinery and heavy equipment to create trenches, recreating a space as real as possible to put into practice the knowledge acquired.

This training will provide our employees with specialized knowledge in this type of rescue, while expanding our efforts with other departments to train their personnel to be available in particular cases that warrant it.

"We are not only investing in equipment, materials and specialized vehicles for the area of security and emergency management, but we are also focusing on training to provide personnel with the skills and tools to act in emergency or extreme situations. I appreciate the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Fire Department for supporting us in this effort," said Mayor O'Neill Rosa.