EGS Builds Global Preparedness Through Partnership with Chile
Working to build more resilient global systems to prepare, respond and recover from disasters, Emergent Global Solution (EGS) CEO Mark Ghilarducci participated in the Chile-California Council Wildfire Preparedness and Emergency Management Seminar in Santiago, Chile in December.
“Disasters do not recognize borders, and in our increasingly interconnected world it is critical to build partnerships, share knowledge and train for the disasters that may come next whether it is at home or abroad,” said CEO Ghilarducci.
The Chile-California Council is a bi-national non-profit organization, headquartered in San Francisco, that promotes mutually beneficial relationships and the exchange of knowledge between Chile and California in the public and private sectors.
The 2024 seminar included collaborative forums and robust discussions with wildfire and emergency management leaders, utility companies, forest industry leaders & government representatives from across the globe. Participants in the event all faced similar challenges with the emerging threat of more frequent and severe disasters and conversations focused on creating a better understanding of current approaches to response & recovery.
View the video of the full conversation.
CEO Ghilarducci has frequently partnered with the Chile-California Council to share lessons, best practices and strategies around wildfire preparedness and disaster response.
While serving as Director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, Ghilarducci was oversaw the development of Memorandums of Understanding on emergency management with various countries including Chile, Mexico, Australia, and the Aga Khan Development Network.
Last week’s visit follows devastating wildfires that impacted the Chile in Spring of 2024 that killed more than 120 people and destroying thousands of homes in country’s Valparaíso region.
Chilian President Gabriel Boric said at the time the blaze was "the worst catastrophe to hit the country since the earthquake of 27 February 2010", in which more than 500 people died.
The smoke from the fires was so severe it could be seen from space, satellite images showed.
Chile and California are considered global “twins” because they share geographic, climatic, economic, and historical similarities. This also extends to climate-driven disasters; therefore, important lessons abound that must be used to the mutual benefit of both territories and the planet.
