Challenges

Colbún needed a solution that could ensure rapid, reliable communication during an emergency, regardless of location or channel.

The main challenges included:

• Integrating multiple data sources into one unified communication platform.
• Consolidating numerous communication channels for consistent, real-time messaging.
• Empowering teams to respond faster and with greater confidence in crisis scenarios.

The goal was not only to improve technical infrastructure but also to strengthen Colbún’s overall emergency preparedness and resilience culture.

Solution

In collaboration with CYSCE and Everbridge, Colbún launched a comprehensive project combining technology—Everbridge 360 Pro and Crisis Management—with integration, and training to build an end-to-end communication and response capability.

Key components included:

• Robust platform implementation:Everbridge 360 Pro was configured with integrated contact data, dynamic roles and groups, and smart notification templates for faster, targeted communication.
• Multi-channelconnectivity:Email, SMS, voice, Microsoft Teams, and both mobile and desktop app notifications ensured that the crisis management team could receive critical updates—anytime, anywhere.
• Hands-on training and adoption: With multiple in-person training sessions the IT team and key users become expert operators, ensuring sustainable internal ownership of the platform.
• Real-world testing:The project concluded with full-scale field tests and a live crisis simulation, validating both the reliability and resilience of Colbún’s new communication framework.

Results

With Everbridge, Colbún now has a proven and integrated platform that allows the organization to:

• Respond faster and more effectively to critical events.
• Ensure business continuity and employee safety across all sites.
• Manage incidents with full traceability, control, and confidence.
• Strengthen its organizational resilience and emergency communication culture.

Why Everbridge

Colbún selected Everbridge for its ability to deliver reliable, multi-channel communication, enterprise-grade scalability, and proven success in critical event management. The partnership with CYSCE provided local expertise and seamless implementation, ensuring the project’s success from planning to rollout.

Looking ahead

Colbún continues to expand its use of Everbridge, exploring additional integrations and workflows to further automate response and enhance operational resilience. The company now serves as a model of how energy sector organizations can adopt proactive, technology-driven crisis management strategies.

Full transcript

[00:05.3]
Hello, my name is Christian Robles and I am the regional analyst for Latin America and the Caribbean here at Everbridge. Today we’re tracking fast moving developments of Venezuela following a major US military operation that has triggered political uncertainty, internal changes and broader regional ripple effects.
[00:25.7]
During the early morning hours of January 3rd, the United States carried out Operation Absolute Resolve. The strikes targeted military and communications sites and Venezuelan authorities later reported damage at or near strategic infrastructure including La Guaira port, where local officials said missiles destroyed warehouses and caused significant disruption.
[00:49.9]
According to Venezuelan and Cuban officials, more than 80 people were killed, including 32 Cuban military and intelligence personnel. Cuba confirmed the deaths, stating that those personnel were assigned to Venezuela under bilateral security cooperation and were killed during combat and bombardment.
[01:10.6]
The outcome of the operation was unprecedented. President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Celia Flores were captured and flown to the United States. And on January 5th both appeared at A Manhattan Federal court and pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges while Maduro told the court he had been kidnapped.
[01:35.4]
From this point forward, uncertainty is the defining feature. US messaging towards Venezuela’s interim leadership has been mixed, reinforcing ambiguity around the path ahead. President Donald Trump has publicly stated that the United States could effectively run Venezuela until a transition is achieved, framing US objectives in a way that includes leveraging the country’s oil sector.
[02:07.1]
At the same time, senior U.S. officials have indicated that they expect cooperation from Acting President Delsey Rodriguez with warnings reported that failure to cooperate could result in consequences even worse than Maduro.
[02:23.5]
In parallel, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has sought to narrow that message, emphasizing coercive leverage aimed at producing democratically elected transition rather than day to day US Governance. Rubio has also argued that Venezuela’s next leader should ultimately be determined through free elections, particularly given disputes over the legitimacy of Maduro’s 2024 electoral victory, which the United States and several other countries never recognized.
[02:58.9]
Meanwhile, in Venezuela, the Maduro aligned state structure remains in place. The country’s judicial system directed Del Rodriguez to assume executive authority. She has publicly demanded Maduro’s release while also signaling interest in diplomatic engagement.
[03:17.1]
Also adding to the uncertainty, Venezuela has declared a state of emergency. While there have been no confirmed reports of curfews, the emergency framework increases the likelihood of movement, restrictions, communication disruptions and expanded security operations.
[03:33.8]
The decree also authorizes the detention of individuals accused of supporting the US attack, raising near term repression risks. On the ground, pro regime mobilization is already visible. Reporting describes pro government rallies, some involving armed participants, including groups known as colectivos, which are motorcycle based networks that have historically functioned as informal enforcement arms aligned with the state.
[04:03.7]
This raises the risk that even with Maduro removed, localized violence or parallel security actions could complicate any transition and keep security conditions in Caracas at the regional level.
[04:19.5]
Neighboring governments are closely monitoring border dynamics to limit spillover. While borders remain largely open, heightened security postures and the potential for checkpoints or inspections could disrupt Cross border trademark logistics and migration flows.
[04:36.5]
If conditions deteriorate beyond the region, the strategic implications are significant. Internationally, the operation is raising concerns about precedent. Even as Washington frames the action as law enforcement or counternarcotics, critics argue it challenges norms around sovereignty and territorial integrity.
[05:00.2]
If normalized, this could lower the threshold for other states to justify similar cross border operations, increasing global instability. For Russia and China, Venezuela’s upheaval represents a strategic setback. Both invested heavily in Venezuela as a key partner in the Western Hemisphere.
[05:20.5]
While condemning the operation, they may now seek to reinforce influence elsewhere, including in East Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. As the United States signals renewed focus in regions nearby, we will continue to monitor developments closely, including the security environment in Caracas, emergency measures, border and trade implications, and evolving geopolitical responses.
[05:47.5]
The Global Insights Team Team will publish relevant updates as new confirmed information becomes available.

Five real-world cases where receiving the right care at the right time made all the difference

When crises strike, a swift and expert response can make all the difference. From medical evacuations to security extractions, these Everbridge Assist cases highlight the value of having a dedicated team of security, medical, and logistics professionals ready to act, ensuring your people receive the care and protection they need when it matters most.

1. Life-saving evacuation for a critical medical emergency

When a corporate traveler was hospitalized in Belém, Brazil with thrombosis, she was given a 50 percent chance of survival and just 24 hours to receive specialist treatment before her critical organs would fail.

The hospital lacked the necessary equipment and specialists, so Everbridge Assist stepped in. Everbridge quickly assembled a team of security, medical, and operational personnel. A bilingual security professional was deployed locally to assist with translation, provide support, and coordinate movements on the ground.

This enabled an emergency medical air evacuation. Within 12 hours, the patient arrived 3,000 km away in São Paulo, where she was successfully treated by a specialist capable of performing the complex surgery.

When a US employee of a global brand suffered a life threatening subarachnoid hemorrhage while on business in Shanghai, our assistance team was contacted by their colleague.

We immediately deployed a local agent to liaise with the hospital, obtain accurate medical updates, and provide translations to ensure smooth case management.

After confirming the hospital’s facilities were suitable, we arranged for the patient’s family to fly to Shanghai and stay nearby. We also assisted with completing insurance claims and work absence forms to ensure the employee’s salary continued without interruption.

When personnel found themselves at the center of a terror attack in Stockholm, Sweden, they placed an emergency call to their Global Security Operations Center, who immediately contacted Everbridge Assist.

A lone perpetrator in a van hit bystanders before crashing into the wall of our client’s office. With gunfire being heard and the security situation fluid, our team liaised with the employees directly, coaching them on how to shelter-in-place and barricade the doors until support personnel could reach them.

To ensure the safe extraction of the employees, our team arranged a car, driver and close protection officer. The employees were provided with the name, telephone number and photograph of the key close protection officer deployed, as well as a password that the individual would use as an additional identifier on arrival.

All the affected personnel were safely extracted from their office and escorted to safety.

4. Ongoing treatment and support for complex mental health case

A US student, undertaking her PhD in the UK, was struggling with underlying mental health issues and contacted our assistance team for help. During the initial assessment, our clinician flagged the case as high priority and arranged immediate counseling, face-to-face psychiatric appointments, and additional support. The case was complex, requiring the coordination of 5 separate health professionals, all arranged via our assistance team. To ensure that the patient had the medications she needed, we also collected and delivered her prescriptions directly to her.

Following treatment, the patient’s mental health condition stabilized sufficiently for her to be able to remain in the UK and continue her studies. We continued to support the student during her stay, monitoring her progress and providing additional care and treatment as and when her condition fluctuated.

The daughter of a British expat working in China was suffering with symptoms local doctors had attributed to recurrent kidney infections. When symptoms worsened the family contacted Everbridge Assist for assistance. Having reviewed the case and liaised with local doctors, our clinicians determined a more serious condition, organizing an MRI scan which revealed a potential tumor.

The patient had been treated at several hospitals with incompatible technology, making it impossible to share medical files. Our team collated and encrypted the data, transferring it to the most suitable medical facility, reviewing the history, and ordering further tests.

Due to the complexity of the case, it was agreed that the patient would be flown back to the UK for treatment, which we arranged. We then transferred her to the NHS for long-term care.