Comunicados de Prensa

San Juan, Puerto Rico - May 30, 2025 - As a preamble to the start of the hurricane season, Governor Jenniffer González Colón participated in the training of more than 350 employees of the Department of Housing, the Public Housing Administration and shelter management agents.

“For this hurricane season, we are applying all the lessons learned in past emergencies to ensure an agile and effective response. This training seeks to ensure that all personnel assigned to care for people in shelters are trained to be able to handle both atmospheric emergencies and incidents of gender-based violence and to treat people with mental health conditions with sensitivity,” said the governor.

For her part, the Secretary of the Department of Housing, Ciary Pérez Peña, highlighted the initiatives they develop for the well-being of citizens during the hurricane season.

“Preparing for the hurricane season is key to being able to respond promptly and responsibly to the needs of citizens. In the same way, our staff received training in the preparation of their family emergency plan and emergency backpack, recognizing that, if we are prepared as individuals, we can offer a more efficient service,” he said.

Pérez Peña also explained that the Department of Housing and the Public Housing Administration have already taken the necessary measures so that shelters that are opened can meet the basic needs of refugees, such as access to electricity, drinking water and showers.

In the same way, the Public Housing Administrator, Juan A. Rosario summarized other initiatives that will benefit residents in times of emergency.

“We have equipped community centers in public housing with electric generators, so that residents can charge their electronic equipment, refrigerate medications and address health situations such as the need for respiratory therapy. Our goal is for residents to be cared for and to pay attention to their health, so that even in the midst of an emergency, they are stable and in a safe environment,” said the official.

The training, carried out at the Marcelo Trujillo Mayor Coliseum in Humacao, was offered by the National Weather Service Advisory Coordinator, Ernesto Morales, as well as the Women's Attorney, Astrid Piñeiro and staff from the Administration of Mental Health and Addiction Services (ASSMCA), the Fire Department Bureau, the Negotiate for Emergency Management and Disaster Management and the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). The mayor of Vega Alta, María Vega, also participated in the event, recounting her experience as a municipal executive after the passage of hurricane Fiona, where several Vegalans were dramatically rescued after serious floods were reported. Roberto Lefranc, executive director of the Office for Socio-Economic and Community Development (ODSEC), also participated.