RPS Partnership's Head of Training caught in earthquake in Mexico

20 September 2017 - RPS Partnership

Last night UK time, RPS Partnership had to use its emergency protocols as our Head of Training, Cath Mossom, was caught in the earthquake which took place in Mexico city. She was fortunate and is safe and well and managed to move to the south of the city. She sent us this first hand account.

Today I  witnessed first hand the destruction and panic that quickly spread across Mexico city.

This morning Hotel Galeria Plaza in which I was staying pre warned all guests that they would be holding an ‘’earthquake’’ alarm test at 1100am, hotel guests could participate should they wish. At 1pm the alarm was sounding again, this time it was for real.

I was actually sat in a parked taxi outside of a shopping mall waiting for my work colleague to grab a few supplies for the HEAT course that we are running tomorrow for IWMF.

I felt the taxi start to move and at first I thought someone was rocking it from the outside, quickly though, I realised that all the other parked vehicles around me were moving too.

Then panic surrounded me, as people started to pour out of the Mall and into the street. Almost at once the communication infrastructure collapsed, as everyone tried to call family and loved ones.

The tremors lasted around 90 seconds; hitting an all-time record of 7.1 in the city and taking place exactly 32 years after the 1985 earthquake that killed more than 5,000 people.

The roads both into and out of the city were grid locked almost immediately, not helped at all by the traffic lights all failing to work.

We battled on in our taxi for 3 hours to try and reach our training venue – travelling around 10km in 3 hours, before deciding it would be safer to stop for a few hours and then reassess. 

We are lucky she is now safe and staying put in a hotel. contact us if you are there and need advice on what to do +4416973 71907 or email us on [email protected]

So what would you do if you were caught up in a natural disaster?

Why not book a place on our next UK Hostile Environment Training course (HET/HEAT) course 20-22 November and learn how to prepare yourself to work and travel safely in challenging environments – including natural disaster areas !! Email us on [email protected] for more information or download the flyer below.

Photo: RPS Partnership in Mexico city