Brazilian municipalities roll out school disaster‑prevention program and emergency‑kit drive

The municipality of Cuiabá in Brazil’s Mato Grosso state launched a "Defesa Civil nas Escolas" project at the EMEB Osmar José do Carmo Cabral school. The initiative, coordinated by the municipal Civil Defence secretariat and the Education department, aims to teach elementary students about environmental preservation, disaster prevention and community responsibility. The program will expand to about 80 more schools this year, using tailored teaching materials, educational games and a future digital platform.

In the neighboring state of Rio Grande do Sul, the state Civil Defence agency announced a series of preparedness measures at the International Congress of Protection and Civil Defence. A task force will supply 73 municipalities with operational kits that include a light‑pick‑up vehicle, a 10 kVA generator and four radios. The agency also introduced the Prepara RS – El Niño program, allocating roughly R$ 33 million to 141 vulnerable municipalities for mitigation and response activities ahead of the expected 2026‑2027 El Niño event.