Bomberos, maestros y psicólogos: Guatemalan civil society response to the Volcano of Fire disaster

Abstract

Abstract Natural disasters are devastating in many ways; the impact is worse when government response is insufficient. Guatemala’s government has a history of corruption and of contributing to socially constructed vulnerability; government policies have made parts of the population more insecure and vulnerable to disasters. Our study examines individual perceptions of how volunteers, first responders, and members of nongovernmental organizations responded to the deadly eruption of Volcán de Fuego (Volcano of Fire) in Guatemala in 2018, and how this experience influenced their views of the government as well as their own role in civil society. To gain an understanding of civil society reaction, we conducted field research in Guatemala in 2019 and 2020; in addition, we analyzed Facebook posts from a nongovernmental organization formed in the wake of the disaster over the course of two and a half years. Our research suggests that, in the absence of government efficacy, civil society will take a greater role in responding to disasters, despite incurring personal risk by doing so. In addition, it gives voice to the experience of many who witnessed the immediate aftermath of the disaster, adding their insights to the narrative of the tragedy.