The Government unifies the action protocol in educational centers in the face of extreme meteorological phenomena

PalmThe Government presented this Wednesday a new action guide for educational centers that establishes how situations arising from adverse weather phenomena such as heavy rainfall, episodes of drought, heat waves, strong winds, and floods should be managed. The document was presented by the Minister of the Presidency, Coordination of Government Action and Local Cooperation, Antònia Estarellas, and the Minister of Education and Universities, Antoni Vera. As they explained, the new tool is born with the aim of homogenizing criteria and providing greater security to management teams in emergency situations.

The protocol has been developed based on the situations experienced during the droughts that affected Ibiza last autumn, which highlighted the need to better specify some procedures, especially in managing student departures when classes are suspended.

In this regard, the text establishes that students will not be able to leave the center without express authorization. Minister Antoni Vera stressed that families' concern in critical moments is understandable, but insisted that educational centers are prepared to be safe and protective spaces.

Alert levels and clear instructions

The system establishes different action scenarios based on the meteorological alert level. In a yellow alert situation (IG0), when the risk is moderate but present, centers receive instructions to limit outdoor activities and apply preventive measures. When the orange alert level (IG1) is reached, the risk increases and restrictions and surveillance are reinforced, always following the instructions transmitted by the educational administration. In the case of the red alert level (IG2), the suspension of teaching activities is decreed. If the situation reaches the most serious level (IG3), it involves exceptional emergencies that may require intervention at a higher level.

The protocol also regulates what should be done depending on when the alert arrives. If it is outside school hours, staff are instructed not to go to the center and activities are adapted accordingly. On the other hand, if the situation occurs while teaching activities are taking place, the center must communicate its situation to 112 and organize the safe stay of students until their collection or evacuation can be guaranteed. Teachers, according to the document, must remain at the centers until all students have been attended to or safely transferred.

The guide incorporates specific action measures, such as reorganizing students in protected areas within the centers, possible internal evacuations to safe zones, cutting off supplies if necessary, and strict control of entrances and exits. Communication with families and emergency services is also reinforced, with official channels such as Gest-IB, 112, and institutional alert systems. In addition, the document includes specific fact sheets for each type of meteorological phenomenon, with guidelines adapted to heavy rain, storms, wind, cold, or extreme heat.

Training and institutional coordination

According to the Minister Estarellas, nearly 900 teachers have already received training in emergency management, a line that will continue to be expanded during the next school year. The system also strengthens coordination between educational centers, the Ministry, and the Directorate General of Emergencies and Interior, which is responsible for determining alert levels and transmitting instructions to other organizations.

The protocol not only regulates immediate response, but also prevention and the return to normality. This last phase includes recommendations for reviewing facilities, checking essential services, and recording possible incidents. With this new tool, the Government aims to provide centers with a clearer and more operational framework to act in the face of increasingly frequent and intense weather events, reduce improvisations, and strengthen the safety of the educational community.