Erdwin Olivares takes command of the COE: An operations expert facing new challenges
The Emergency Operations Center (COE) begins a new chapter with the appointment of Erdwin Robert Olivares Luciano as its director. Far from being a new face, Olivares arrives at the institution’s top position with the backing of more than two decades of technical experience, establishing himself as a key figure in risk management and disaster response in the Dominican Republic.
The appointment, made official through Decree 551-26, is part of a government restructuring that also transfers retired Major General Juan Manuel Méndez García to the National Institute of Transit and Land Transportation (INTRANT) and appoints Carlos Manuel Paulino Cárdenas to head the Civil Defense.
A trajectory forged in operability
Olivares’ career in the emergency sector began in February 1999. Over the years, he has climbed strategic positions within the COE, Civil Defense, and the Dominican Red Cross. His work as deputy director and head of Operations —a position he held formally since 2010— has allowed him to lead critical inter-institutional coordination processes, from preventive operations during Holy Week to logistical planning for tourism development in Cabo Rojo, Pedernales.
Olivares receives an institution with a consolidated structure, whose greatest asset is the ability to coordinate multiple State agencies under a single command when local capabilities are exceeded.
The challenge of continuity and innovation
The new director faces the challenge of maintaining the high credibility that the COE achieved under the management of Juan Manuel Méndez. Risk communication will be one of the pillars of his administration; he will have to balance the urgency of preventive alerts with the need to maintain the population’s sensitivity, avoiding information saturation in the face of recurring events.
- Climate threat management: Strengthen the use of technology and early warning systems for floods, landslides, and extreme weather phenomena.
- Seismic preparedness: Transform evacuation drills into a permanent public policy to address the latent risk of earthquakes.
- Urban complexity: Adapt response protocols to population growth and the new structural risks presented by large cities.
Institutional synergy: The key factor
The appointment of Carlos Manuel Paulino Cárdenas to the Civil Defense adds a strategic piece to the risk management board. Like Olivares, Paulino possesses vast experience in the COE, which guarantees a smooth transition. The coordination between both institutions will be decisive for the success of the national response to any eventuality.
Alofoke Deportes highlights that, for Olivares, the success of his management will not only depend on the speed of response after disasters, but on his strategic capacity to anticipate risks and reduce the country’s vulnerability before emergencies occur.
