Abstract

Most municipalities in the Biobío region of Chile face more than three types of natural and anthropogenic hazards. As municipal risk managers are the first responders in charge of handling emergencies, their relationship with local communities is crucial during such events. There is ancestral and traditional wisdom that recognizes the behavior of natural agents, allowing for the anticipation of hazards that may pose risks to these communities. This knowledge could serve as an interesting mechanism for strengthening disaster management at the community level. Based on the results of a survey conducted with the emergency staff of all the municipalities in the Biobío region, we evaluated their knowledge and appreciation of this ancestral and traditional wisdom. This assessment led us to conclude that there is a shortage of risk managers in the region, most respondents pay attention to the predictions and warnings of locals based on their knowledge, and most districts face more than three types of hazards. © 2025, Corporation for the Management and Reduction of Disaster Risk in Chile (GRID-Chile). All rights reserved.