On December 6, 2023, the Municipality of Guatemala published Resolution 48-2023, which orders companies to submit protocols for natural disasters or emergencies. Such protocols must be sent to the Vulnerability and Emergency Management of the Municipality within 30 days of the supervisor's notification. This will enter into force on January 5, 2024.

The entities required to submit their protocol include:

1. Owners of commercial or service establishments, whether individuals or legal entities.
2. In service establishments not organized as legal entities or individual companies, the responsible parties will be the professionals or technicians who provide services there.

These subjects must comply with the Basic Aspects Assessment Standard for Resilience 1 (Ner 1), which includes:

1. Having detailed architectural plans showing the location and internal layout of the facility.
2. Having vulnerability and emergency response elements. These include fire extinguishers with updated maintenance labels, evacuation route signaling, alarm or warning systems, and first aid kits.
3. Have protocols for emergency response. They must include mandatory protocols for earthquakes and fires. Others may be added as needed. Protocols submitted to the Vulnerability and Emergency Management Supervisor must be original, signed, stamped, and delivered in physical and digital formats.

Each protocol must contain:

1. General and specific objectives, including risk and vulnerability analysis.
2. Activities and roles in case of emergency.
3. Schedule of drills, which must be carried out at least twice a year.
4. Those responsible for activating the alarm or alert.

These protocols can be drafted by a hired professional or by the Vulnerability and Emergency Management Directorate for a fee. This directorate will approve the documents to generate the Certificate of Compliance with Ner 1.

Any remodeling or expansion of facilities must also be submitted. In case of providing false information, failure to submit documents, concealing, misrepresenting, misleading, or using fraudulent means to obtain the certificate, those responsible will be sanctioned by a municipal affairs judge.

If you would like more information or advice on this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us.