Darwinian response

As it usually happens in the northern areas, it is Tuesday, April 1, 2014, in?Arica, and summer?has not yet completely passed, making it possible to see people walking along the waterfront in the?tranquillity?of "the city of eternal spring."

A strong and long-lasting earthquake struck the Arica and Parinacota, Tarapacá, and Antofagasta regions in Chile at 20:46, as well as parts of Peru and Bolivia.?Its magnitude was 8.2 MW, and the epicentre was located 73 km west of Pisagua and 94 km northwest of Iquique.

Chaos broke out as alarms sounded and a tsunami warning was issued, causing people to flee to designated safe areas.?The evacuation routes became clogged with vehicles as it became?dark. Hundreds?of people?walked?toward the east of the city to find higher ground.

An earthquake of 6.7 magnitude on March 16 was followed by frequent aftershocks,?letting the population know?another large earthquake could occur shortly.

Just before midnight, the unit under my command was prepared and began patrolling?and conducting reconnaissance in the hardest-hit?areas. It was a long night.

On the following day, at first light of dawn, it was possible to observe the effects of not only the earthquake but also of the tsunami that struck the Chilean coast from Arica to Bahia Mansa.?

As a result of the storm, a few deaths were reported, homes, buildings, and infrastructure were damaged, hundreds of people were affected, basic services were interrupted, roads were blocked, and the area was paralyzed, thus causing a state of emergency to be declared.

Many of us have experienced similar situations. Our country often surprises us with natural events that?challenge its resilience.?It was my first time leading a unit during an emergency, and from this experience, I learned?several?remarkably valuable?lessons.

First, I would like to highlight the?response capacity?of?the personnel under my command.?Even though it was extremely difficult to leave their families during uncertain times, 99 percent of the units arrived at the barracks on?time. This demonstrated?a strong sense of morale, discipline, and resilience.?The military places a?great deal?of emphasis on?discipline. However,?it is extremely difficult to measure moral values outside of a crisis,?so commanders must?hope their teams react appropriately in any situation.

Adaptability?is a critical characteristic of leadership, especially in?emergencies.?As Darwin said, "It is not the strongest species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one that best adapts to change."?We?all needed to adapt to the situation in this case: most civilian authorities had just assumed their positions, and most had never worked?in?a crisis context under the leadership of the Chief of National Defence. Military personnel needed to adjust to a different work routine, moving from operational training to?military?operations other than?war. These operations?had specific objectives and measurable outcomes.?The tasks involved extensive hours and a diverse range of?responsibilities. These included patrolling to prevent looting to?assisting in the logistics of the emergency centre for civilians.

Communication?is an essential component of successful teamwork, particularly when dealing with officials from different sectors and levels.?The importance of effective communication during an emergency cannot be overstated so that everyone?is aware of?what is occurring and what needs to be done.?This is done to create a safe environment or return things to normal as quickly as possible.?Conversely, ineffective communication can result in confusion?or even inaction, leading to dangerous situations.?

In this regard, I was tasked with re-establishing classes by the Chief of National Defence as soon as possible.?Several meetings were held?with education stakeholders to?explain the urgent need to restore school conditions following the earthquake.?Although the effects of the earthquake on the infrastructure and the psychological impact?on the students?and teachers were significant, this was the case.?Despite the challenges, we?were able to resume teaching activities after approximately fifteen days.

To?achieve the authorities'?objectives,?teamwork?is essential, especially?team formation.?A clear example of this was the assignment of reconstruction tasks to Engineer Battalion No.6 "Azapa" which initially involved assisting civilians in removing debris and clearing roads, but whose greatest challenge was the construction of an emergency settlement on the slopes of the hill of Arica, which would house 52 families most severely affected by the earthquake.

Creating multidisciplinary teams that?understood?the task, and estimated time and resources accurately to prevent unrealistic expectations?were?essential.?With the assistance of military and civilian personnel who worked tirelessly around the clock, the battalion commander could complete the mission within eight weeks.

To?recognize the?arduous?work done by?military?personnel, the civil authority decided to name?the emergency settlement "Héroes del Morro". This was in memory of those who fought on June 7, 1880,?for?the?conquest?of the famous strategic hill.

Finally, the?personal example?in this case?works as?a motivator.?People work longer hours and feel?more stress during?crises,?resulting in physical and psychological exhaustion.?Management?of these factors is imperative to prevent burnout.?Through their actions, leaders should demonstrate characteristics that teach and motivate others.?These characteristics include?willpower, character, fortitude, temperance, prudence, resilience, and responsibility.

As we mark ten years since that tragic day, I would like to recognize the victims and acknowledge the authorities and subordinates with whom, through intense, professional, and highly motivated work, I learned how to respond to crises, which I am sharing with you today.