Security staff for the Leones del Escogido baseball team have undergone emergency response training from Santo Domingo firefighters ahead of the upcoming winter season. The safety instruction session took place at Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal in Santo Domingo to prepare personnel for the start of the Dominican Professional Baseball League tournament on Friday, October 16.
Private security firm FDD Security invited the National District Fire Department to conduct the specialized workshop on crowd control and emergency management during potential catastrophic events. The safety program specifically focused on guards and supervisors responsible for venue security whenever Escogido plays as the home team.
Lieutenant Colonel Otto Geraldino, representing the National District Fire Department, led the session for security officers stationed at the stadium. He provided detailed guidelines on immediate measures to take during major incidents and outlined the precise protocols required to execute a full stadium evacuation while a game is in progress.
Geraldino explained that instructing citizens and security personnel on proper emergency responses is a core responsibility of the local fire service. He expressed gratitude to FDD Security for hosting the event and called on other institutions across the country to replicate the safety training to refresh public emergency procedures.
Seismic risks and previous stadium emergencies
Fabián de Dios Heredia, president of FDD Security, indicated that the safety initiative was organized alongside Fátima de la Cruz in response to recent regional earthquakes. He cited recent seismic activity in Colombia and Venezuela, as well as earth tremors felt within the Dominican Republic, as the primary motivation for upgrading stadium readiness.
De Dios Heredia emphasized that comprehensive safety preparation can save the lives of thousands of spectators inside the venue. He recalled a previous emergency at Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal when officials had to evacuate the stadium following a major fire in the Seventh Heaven press box area during a past winter league season.
The security executive noted that the Dominican Republic is situated directly over a major tectonic fault line, making emergency drills vital for sports facilities. The island of Hispaniola sits along the active boundary between the Caribbean and North American tectonic plates, exposing major urban areas to seismic hazards. He added that stadium operations cannot assume immunity from major disaster events during crowded public gatherings.
Dominican winter baseball background
Leones del Escogido is one of the most successful professional baseball franchises in the Dominican Republic. Established in 1921 and known colloquially as the Escarlatas for their traditional red uniforms, the Santo Domingo based club has won numerous national championships in the country's professional winter league.
The club shares its home venue, Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal, with capital rivals Tigres del Licey. Located in the Ensanche La Fe district of Santo Domingo, the stadium opened in 1955 and was renamed in 2015 in honor of Dominican Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Juan Marichal. The facility holds more than 13,000 fans for professional games.
The Dominican Professional Baseball League, known as LIDOM, operates as the nation's premier winter sports circuit. Featuring six teams competing from October through January, the league champion advances to represent the Dominican Republic in the annual Caribbean Series. With opening day set for Friday, October 16, security teams at Estadio Quisqueya are finalizing emergency protocols to protect spectators throughout the upcoming season.
