Cancún, Quintana Roo — Quintana Roo set a new participation record during the first National Drill of 2026, with more than 157,000 people taking part in the exercise — nearly triple the number from the previous year.
Led by Governor Mara Lezama Espinosa, the drill was centered at Malecón Tajamar, where the scenario involved a structure collapse accompanied by a gas leak explosion and multiple injuries.
According to official figures, 157,756 participants and 2,473 registered buildings took part in the drill, a significant increase from the 66,572 participants reported in 2025. The exercise involved the public and private sectors as well as the general public, reinforcing coordinated emergency response in a state that hosts both residents and tourists from around the world.
During the simulation, nine people were treated for injuries from the collapse and one person with burns was airlifted by helicopter “Águila 1” as part of immediate response protocols.
Cellphone Alerts Key to Emergency Response
One of the most notable aspects of the drill was the activation of the National Civil Protection System, which for the second time in the country sent an audible and visual alert to cellphones, even if they were on silent or locked. This technology allowed authorities to measure the population’s reaction capacity and strengthen risk communication mechanisms.
Officials emphasized that such exercises help reduce risks and build a culture of civil protection at both individual and collective levels.
Interagency Coordination
The drill involved around 60 first responders, including armed forces, emergency services, and state and municipal agencies. Participating institutions included the Mexican Red Cross, the Secretariat of Public Security, Civil Protection, Firefighters, and students from CECyTE, CONALEP, and COBAQROO.
Guillermo Núñez Leal, director of the State Civil Protection Coordination, noted that the exercise holds special significance as it marks 40 years since the creation of the national system, which emerged after the devastating 1985 Mexico City earthquake.
Governor Lezama stated that the goal is to build a safer, more resilient state prepared for increasingly frequent and intense phenomena. “This government will spare no effort to strengthen the culture of prevention,” she said, thanking participating agencies, the private sector, and citizens.
