The president of the Valencian Community, Carlos Mazón, has announced the creation of five immediate response groups to mitigate the consequences of the storm in Valencia. He has requested the incorporation of seven government ministers into these teams. One group will focus on health issues, and Mazón has asked for the immediate inclusion of the Minister of Health, Mónica García, to develop an urgent plan for assessing epidemiological risks and prevention mechanisms. He also wants members of the national health alert coordination center, top preventive specialists in Spain, public health members from Valencia, and the government’s emergency coordination center to be part of this group.
The second immediate response group will focus on transportation and infrastructure, for which Mazón has asked for the assistance of the Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, to create an urgent comprehensive recovery plan for the local, provincial, regional, and national network. The third group will focus on housing and social services. Mazón has requested the inclusion of the Ministers of Housing, Isabel Rodríguez, and Social Rights, Pablo Bustinduy, to apply urgent measures for rehousing and reconstruction of affected homes, as well as immediate social assistance. He also called for direct subsidies for dependents or vulnerable people, the use of all public housing for necessary rehousing, and bank mediation for the postponement of mortgages or personal loans of those affected.
The fourth group will focus on employment and businesses. Mazón has requested the incorporation of the Second Vice President and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, and the Minister of Economy, Carlos Cuerpo, to implement all legal instruments to reconcile ERTEs, as was done during the pandemic. For self-employed individuals and farmers, he requests the same approach but regarding the cessation of activity benefit. Mazón also called for legal measures to enable teleworking where possible. In the final group focused on security, he requested the presence of the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, to increase security control and prevent theft and looting in affected areas.
Aside from the response groups, Mazón has formally requested the revision and updating of the protocol of the General Directorate of Civil Protection of the Ministry of the Interior to notify and communicate meteorological and emergency alerts in Spain. Additionally, he has asked for the study of incorporating the Chief of the Defense Staff to coordinate army tasks and assess future needs. Mazón emphasized the importance of coordinating efforts between the regional and national government to address the aftermath of the storm effectively and provide essential support to the affected population. The cooperation of various ministerial departments and agencies is essential to ensure a comprehensive and coordinated response to the crisis.
