Washington, D.C., May 18, 2026 — Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) from El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Panama, together with national authorities and regional actors, participated in the CENTAM GUARDIAN 2026 simulation exercise as part of ongoing efforts to further strengthen preparedness and response to emergencies and disasters in Central America.
The activity, held from April 17–24 in El Salvador, is part of the regional CENTAM GUARDIAN initiative, regionally coordinated by the United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) in collaboration with the national authorities of the host country. The exercise helped validate response systems and procedures under a simulated large-scale earthquake scenario. It also evaluated the full response cycle of participating EMTs, from activation and mobilization to deployment, operations, and demobilization.
The scenario also included a health sector component, carried out from April 20–23 under the national coordination of Civil Protection and with the participation of the Ministry of Health of El Salvador. This component included a technical preparation phase (“academy”) and a practical simulation exercise involving Emergency Medical Teams (EMTs) and other rapid response teams and capacities. It also strengthened civil-military coordination and promoted exchange among national institutions, regional teams, and actors involved in emergency response. Throughout the process, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) provided technical support, contributing to EMT strengthening efforts through the implementation of operational standards, coordination mechanisms, and tools for health emergencies.
The event also helped assess the functionality of the Medical Information and Coordination Cell (CICOM), strengthening information management, needs assessment, and response coordination through the Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC).
Key outcomes included strengthened emergency decision-making processes, improved national and regional coordination, and optimized patient flow across areas such as triage, stabilization, specialized care, and operational support. These efforts also contributed to more harmonized procedures and more coordinated responses across the region through the exchange of experiences among participating countries.
The exercise represented an important step forward for participating countries in strengthening their EMT capacities, while also highlighting El Salvador’s progress in advancing the preparedness and strengthening of its national EMT. These efforts promote operational standards, deployment capacities, and coordination mechanisms aligned with the EMT Initiative in the Region of the Americas.
Since its first edition in 2022, also held in El Salvador, CENTAM GUARDIAN 2026 has continued to consolidate its role as a key regional platform for strengthening national and regional capacities for medical coordination and emergency response, contributing to the protection of life and health across the region.
