SAFETI Adaptation of Peace Corps Resources - Crisis Management Workbook

Crisis Management Workbook

SAFETI Adaptation of Peace Corps Resources:
Crisis Management Workbook

(Adapted from the Crisis Management Handbook: A Guide for Overseas Staff, Peace Corps Volunteer Safety Council)

Table of Contents

Brief Content Review
Kinds of Crises
National/Regional Crises
Personal Crises
What's Happening to Me?
The Crisis Management System
The Realities of Peace and Order: Indepence vs. Authority
Action Planning

Brief Content Review

Background

For most students, the experience of living and studying overseas will be very rewarding. All students should be well prepared to deal effectively with any crisis that might threaten their safety and security.

Due to a number of country evacuations and crisis incidents in the past ten years, a great deal has been learned about the management of crisis situations of all types. This knowledge has enabled us to provide students valuable training and planning. Accordingly, this training module is designed to increase student effectiveness in protecting themselves and others in the event of a crisis.

What is Crisis Management?

A crisis is any significant event with potentially severe consequences that requires immediate action or response. The types of crises students may encounter include:

*Personal*		*Regional/National*
Medical Emergencies Accidents and Injuries Family Crisis Mental Health		Natural Disasters Civil Unrest Political Uprisings Terrorism

All of these crises have several aspects in common:

They can result in a disruption or early termination of study.
They usually cause significant emotional stress, resulting in predictable cognitive, physical and behavioral reactions.
They can be managed with the appropriate support and preparation.

Crisis Management is the process of preparing for, mitigating, responding to and recovering from a crisis situation. It requires (1) an understanding of the human response to stress (2) an organized plan to ensure the safety and survival of self and community.

For students, the "take home" messages in this session are:

Understand the roles and responsibilities in preparing for a crisis.
Know whom to contact when, how, and where in a crisis situation.
Consider the emotional impact of a crisis and implications for action.
Explore strategies for coping with a crisis and its aftermath.

Philosophy on Crisis Management

Crisis management is the process of preparing for, mitigating, responding to and recovering from a crisis situation. It requires an understanding of the human response to stress and an organized plan to ensure the safety and survival of self and community. The program in each country is charged with ensuring the safety and well-being of its students. To that end, we will do whatever is necessary and possible in a crisis to protect students. This responsibility may, at times, appear to conflict with the value of respect for the student's independence. In matters relating to personal safety, the authority of the governing body (e.g. the State Department, Program Director, Embassy, and national policy)will supersede the individual wishes of students. While each of us responds to and deals with crisis uniquely, there is little time "in the moment" to negotiate the handling of a crisis. Students must quickly heed all orders to respond. Therefore, they need to understand the reality of "autonomy vs. authority" before an emergency occurs so they are prepared to follow the procedures designed to help them.

What Happens to People in a Crisis?

A crisis is stressful at best and lethal at worst, and it often comes without warning. There are typically three phases in a crisis response.

The Impact phase: the initial response to the crisis consists of an alarm phase, a mobilization phase, and an action phase.
The Aftermath (or Let Down) phase: the aftermath of the event can last for days, months, or even years.
The Recovery phase: the student's transition back to normal roles and activities in work and social life.

Each of these phases is accompanied by somewhat predictable physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral reactions. While the reactions may be unusual, they are normal given the highly abnormal circumstances. The table below summarizes the reactions of each phase:

Reactions	Impact Phase	Aftermath Phase	Recovery Phase
Physical	rapid heart rate, difficulty breathing, sweating, nausea, diarrhea	fatigue, lack of energy	return of energy, normalization of sleep and appetite
Emotional	excitement, anxiety, fear, irritability, denial, helplessness	depression, sadness, guilt, anger, mood swings, grief	stabilization of moods, ability to feel pleasure and joy
Cognitive	racing thoughts, confusion, hyperalertness	recurrent thoughts, flashbacks, poor concentration	increased interest in other matters, improved thinking
Behavioral	hyperactivity, immobilization, angry outbursts	avoidance, random activity, work inefficiency	increased socialization, more goal-directedness

Coping With a Crisis

There are four basic needs for survival in a crisis. To cope effectively, the student must develop strategies to meet each of these needs:

Safety
Find or create a physically safe environment; maintain basic self-care; avoid burnout.

Security
Avoid confrontation; stay neutral; adopt a defensive posture to protect yourself.

Sanity
Take one step at a time; know what can and can't be controlled; focus on the "how," "when," and "where," not the "why" of a situation; realize your feelings are normal (including guilt about actions, words, or survival).

Support
Seek support, establish allies, communicate, and network; move on; recognize and address possible Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.

Important Lessons Learned from Past Crises

Past experiences in managing crises in remote countries have taught us some important lessons:

1. There are no reliable warning signs of an impending crisis. Assume it can happen to anyone at any time.

2. Local indicators are unreliable. Therefore, avoid making assumptions on the basis of local events only.

3. The rumor mill is alive and well. Validate information whenever possible--although you may have to act in the absence of complete information.

4. The decision to evacuate is made by your study abroad advisor and the State Department. Therefore, as a student, be sure to comply promptly with an evacuation order.

5. An evacuation is a preventative measure. Do not wait until there has been an order to evacuate

Some Definitions & Examples

Any significant situation can be considered a crisis if it causes major disruptions to a person's life.

Exercise

Working with a partner, develop a list of types of crises that could lead to an interruption of student study or evacuation from a country. Use the categories presented and be as specific as possible.

*Regional/National*		*Personal*
1. ____________________		1. ____________________
2. ____________________		2. ____________________
3. ____________________		3. ____________________
4. ____________________		4. ____________________

Kinds of Crises - Notes to the Study Abroad Director

Definitions & Examples

As the group develops examples, you may want to write them on a flip chart. Some of the crises to consider are:

*Regional/National*		*Personal*
1.	Earthquake	1.	Accident and Injury
2.	Hurricane	2.	Dental work that can't be performed abroad
3.	Civil War	3.	Death/serious illness of a family member
4.	Military Coup	4.	Drug or alcohol abuse

Point out to the group that all of these crisis situations have several aspects in common:

They can result in a disruption or early termination of study.
They usually cause significant emotional stress, resulting in predictable cognitive, physical, and behavioral reactions.
They can be managed.

Other key points to make:

Situations that are considered minor problems in the US (e.g., minor accidents and injuries) can, when abroad, result in a major disruption or interruption of study and early return.
Because of the lack of adequate medical care and the higher risk of complications, common ailments (e.g., dental problems, broken bones) may require medical evacuation.
Even routine events can have unexpected outcomes and become crises.
Students need to be aware of the consequences of their choices (e.g., drug abuse, political activity) which can lead to medical or administrative separation from overseas directors.
Some situations (e.g., military coup and natural disaster) are extraordinary events that are beyond the experience of most people.
Because of the lack of infrastructure in developing countries, common problems can deteriorate into full-blown crises.

National/Regional Crises

When a major regional or national crisis such as a natural disaster or political uprising occurs, events happen quickly and often without warning. There are usually few reliable warning signs. Local indicators are fairly unreliable and the rumor mill is alive and well, but not necessarily accurate. Therefore, you may have to act though you do not have complete information and though it may not seem to make sense to do so.

Exercise

In small groups (or as a large group), read the following interoffice memo, "Coup d'etat in Sao Tome & Principe." Imagine you are a student in this situation. Discuss and answer the questions following the memo.

MEMORANDUM

The Sao Tome Country study abroad administrator spoke with Abroad Program Director Smith and State Department this morning with regard to ongoing political upheaval in Sao Tome. It has been confirmed that the President is currently under arrest by rebel military officers. He and the Prime Minister, who is also "politely detained" under house arrest, are held at the military headquarters. The responsible parties are young rebels--mainly in their 20s--calling themselves Junta of National Salvation. Demands and further actions are uncertain, but the speculation is that this is related to the country's economic condition (an inflation rate of 40 percent and an unemployment rate of 38 percent) and recent pay raises given to all Ministers. There are soldiers on the streets, but taxis and other vehicles are running. People are out and about. The rebels have taken control of the television and radio station and state telecommunications. The airport has been closed. However, there has been no gunfire or violence reported.

Sao Tome remains on alert although everything is reportedly calm. All 22 students are accounted for, with 8 in town at an assigned meeting place. Students have been told to keep a low profile and to stay at the assigned meeting place if in town. Those who have means of getting back to their schools have been told to do so and to keep away from any hot spots or crowds. At the suggestion of the UN, the office closed at 1:00 p.m. local time, along with other businesses and aid agencies. The administrators will continue to monitor the situation from home and will keep the desk informed of any further developments.

Questions

What are the key questions you, as a student outside the capital city, should immediately address?

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If needed, can the local authorities (e.g., police) reach you quickly? How will they know where to find you if normal lines of communication are down?

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This time, what activities would you want to avoid or refrain from?

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What would you say to friends and colleagues?

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How would you logistically prepare yourself and your household for the possibility of a sudden evacuation?

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How might you feel (emotionally) at this point?

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What can you do to feel safe in this situation?

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What other issues or problems can you anticipate?

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National/Regional Crises - Notes to the Study Abroad Director

This exercise introduces students to the crisis management system developed to address the possibility of large-scale evacuation and will give them the opportunity to consider details they otherwise might not plan for. Thinking through their personal needs at this point will help set the stage for further explanation of how the evacuation stages unfold, as well as provide meaning for a later discussion regarding "autonomy vs. authority."

Questions

What are the key questions you, as a student outside the capital city, should immediately address?

How will the study abroad office contact you? Have you provided key people with my most recent contact numbers and location? Stress the importance of ensuring that other students always have an accurate contact number and location on the student. It is the student's responsibility to provide this information to the office.

If needed, can the local authorities (e.g., police) reach you quickly? How will they know where to find you if normal lines of communication are down?

Students should give the nearest local authority a map with the location of their residence as soon as possible after they arrive at their schools. This map will assist the local authorities in delivering emergency messages to students during times when messages are urgent and/or when normal communication channels are down.

This time, what activities would you want to avoid or refrain from?

Traveling in areas of unrest, going near "hot spots" such as political rallies or crowds, spending time with government or military officials, accepting rides from government or military officials, engaging in extensive discussion about the political situation with staff.

What would you say to friends and colleagues?

Explain that you may be called to a secure location until the crisis is over. (At this point, just let them know you may be leaving because the situation is requiring you to leave, but don't mention that you may be evacuated.)

How would you logistically prepare yourself and your household for the possibility of a sudden evacuation?

Stock supplies		Water, canned foods, fuel, radio, flashlight, first aid kit (generally enough for several days or up to a week if possible).
Pack for Evacuation		One change of clothing, necessary toiletries, important documents, small items of importance (e.g., photos, letters, jewelry), all of your available cash.
Arrange for pets		Arrange for someone in your community to take care of your pet if you need to leave. Likewise, they could care for your belongings to ensure items don't disappear from your home.

How might you feel (emotionally) at this point?

Disbelieving, scared, angry, anxious, difficulty concentrating, in denial/not believing the situation is as serious as it sounds.

What can you do to feel safe in this situation?

Safety		Find or create a physically safe environment, maintain basic self-care, avoid burn-out.
Security		Avoid confrontation, stay neutral, and adopt a defensive posture.
Sanity		Take one step at a time, know what you can and cannot control, focus on "how", "when" and "where" not the "why" of the situation; realize your feelings are normal.

Support		Seek support, establish allies, communicate and network with people you know and trust.

What other issues or problems can you anticipate?

Concern about belongings/household if evacuated (Staff may remain behind to pick up belongings and send them to you). Disruption of the work or study, separation from friends and co-workers, concern about family in the U.S., knowing what's going on.

You might want to summarize this exercise by making the following key points:

We have just worked through Stage I, or the "Stand Fast" stage, of a large-scale evacuation. Matters may or may not progress to Stage II, or the "Consolidation" stage (to be explained in detail later).
The key to your physical and mental well-being is taking steps now to ensure arrangements have been made (e.g., making a list of what to bring with you, arranging care of pets/home with a trusted local resident).

Personal Crises

A crisis resulting in evacuation may not be as dramatic as the military coup described in the last exercise. In fact, the crisis may be as common as a dental problem. Nevertheless, because it is a crisis, there is little time to think, plan or act in a coordinated way. So, the same principle applies in a personal crisis as in a national one: The best way to prepare for a crisis is to have a plan of action.

Exercise

Imagine you are being medically evacuated to Washington, D.C. for a multiple fracture of your left leg due to a bicycle accident. The accident occurred this morning, and you are leaving this evening for your flight out of the country. In small groups, discuss and answer the following questions:

Whom do you need to notify and how would you do so?

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How would you secure your house and belongings abroad?

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What information do you need before departing?

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What other arrangements would you have to make before leaving on the plane?

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What will you do when you arrive in D.C?

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What will you do with your time in D.C given that you have a broken leg?

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Who will carry on with your work while you are gone?

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What other issues or problems can you anticipate?

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Personal Crises - Notes to the Study Abroad Director

Again, the point of this exercise is to have students think through the possibility of a personal crisis. Not only will it force them to consider details they otherwise might not plan for, it allows them to visualize a potentially traumatizing scenario that is more likely to occur than the one presented in the previous exercise. Discussing the reality of such a crisis can help mentally prepare a student for what otherwise might be an overwhelming experience.

Whom do you need to notify and how would you do so?

Your project supervisor or counterpart, your host country family, and your neighbors and friends
Contact them by phone, cell phone, e-mail, fax, etc...

How would you secure your house and belongings abroad?

Lock all doors and windows.
Leave the key with a program administrator.
Take personal documents and valuables if possible.
Ask a friend or neighbor to watch over your house.

What information do you need before departing?

Travel arrangements.
A contact person at your institution
Policies and procedures on medical evacuations from your study abroad office.

What other arrangements would you have to make before leaving on the plane?

Bring passport and other important documents.
Obtain plane ticket and exchange some money.

What will you do when you arrive in the U.S.?

Notify your program sponsor.
Notify your family.
Rest, recover and make any needed phone calls.

Who will carry on with your work while you are gone?

Make arrangements with your counterparts and supervisor.

What other issues or problems can you anticipate?

Possibly a prolonged stay in the U.S..
Possible medical separation from study if you cannot be cleared to go back abroad within a short time.

Coping During a Crisis

Before going into the details of what happens in the event of a large-scale evacuation, let's look more closely at how a crisis might affect you personally, psychologically and physically.

Exercise

Working individually, think about a stressful situation you have experienced. Even if it wasn't a full-blown crisis, chances are you felt some "classic" physical and psychological reactions to stress. Answer the questions below on your own, then find a partner and compare your responses. You will then discuss them with the group as a whole.

There are typically three phases in a person's response to a crisis:

The Impact phase: the initial response to the crisis consists of an alarm phase, a mobilization phase, and an action phase.
The Aftermath (or Let Down) phase: the aftermath of the event can last for days, months, or even years.
The Recovery phase: the student's transition back to normal roles and activities in work and social life.

During your crisis/stressful situation what happened to you physically during each of the above three phases?

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How did you feel emotionally during each of the three phases? Did your feelings change as the situation progressed?

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Can you recall how the situation may have affected your behavior at each phase?

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What did you do to cope?

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Given that there are four basic needs for survival (safety, security, sanity, and support), how did you meet your needs in each of these areas?

Safety:
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Security:
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Sanity:
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Support:
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What's Happening to Me? - Notes to the Study Abroad Director

Coping During a Crisis

Before going into the details of what happens in the event of a large-scale evacuation, let's look more closely at how a crisis might affect you personally, psychologically and physically.

There are typically three phases in a person's response to a crisis:

The Impact phase: the initial response to the crisis consists of an alarm phase, a mobilization phase, and an action phase.
The Aftermath (or Let Down) phase: the aftermath of the event can last for days, months, or even years.
The Recovery phase: the student's transition back to normal roles and activities in work and social life.

During your crisis/stressful situation what happened to you physically during each of the above three phases?

Typical physical reactions include:

The Impact Phase		Rapid heart rate, difficulty breathing, sweating, nausea, diarrhea.
The Aftermath Phase		Fatigue, lack of energy, sleep disturbance, aches and pains.
The Recovery Phase		Return of energy, normalization of sleep and appetite.

How did you feel emotionally during each of the three phases? Did your feelings change as the situation progressed?

Typical emotional and cognitive responses include:

The Impact Phase		Excitement, anxiety, fear, irritability, denial, raring thoughts, confusion, hyper-alertness, sense of helplessness.
The Aftermath Phase		Depression, sadness, guilt, anger, mood swings, grief, recurrent thoughts, flashbacks, poor concentration.
The Recovery Phase		Stabilization of moods, ability to feel pleasure and joy, increased interest in other things, improved thinking.

Make sure that the group understands that, under stress, people may behave in uncharacteristic ways. People may become aggressive, lie, cheat, steal, or become heroic. As a result, they may feel guilt later on for what they said, did, or thought during the crisis. Sometimes, guilt is the result of witnessing something (e.g., violence) that under normal circumstances is unacceptable. Guilt from simply having survived can also be powerful and long-lasting.

Can you recall how the situation may have affected your behavior at each phase?

Typical behavioral responses include:

The Impact Phase		hyperactivity, immobilization, angry outbursts
The Aftermath Phase		avoidance, random activity, work inefficiency
The Recovery Phase		increased socialization, more goal-directed activity

What did you do to cope?

Students will probably offer a range of examples both effective and ineffective) from their own experience. The key point to make is that in a crisis situation our usual coping strategies may not work. Where you are normally passive, you may need to be aggressive. Where you are usually aggressive, you may need to be submissive. The situation demands a new set of thinking and behaviors which may in themselves be distressing.

Given that there are four basic needs for survival (safety, security, sanity and support), how did you meet your needs in each of these areas?

Safety		Find or create a physically safe environment, maintain basic self-care, avoid burn-out (e.g., schedule in rest and time-out periods).
Security		Avoid confrontation, stay neutral, adopt a defensive posture to protect yourself.
Sanity		Take one step at a time, know what you can and can't control, focus on the "how," "when," and "where," not the "why" of a situation; realize your feelings are normal.
Support		Seek support, establish allies, communicate and network.

Guidelines and Procedures

So far, we have looked at what you can do personally to prepare for and deal with a crisis, whether it is personal or national in scope. Now let's shift our discussion to the system that has been developed to help you should a crisis develop past the preliminary phase of waiting and preparing to act. Specifically, we'll look at the guidelines and procedures for managing an evacuation. To help explain our Evacuation Plan, the Program Director may want to invite a representative from the American Embassy to participate and answer questions. Prior to the discussion, complete the following exercise.

Exercise

With a partner, develop a list of the questions you have about a country evacuation. The goal is to have as many of your questions answered as possible by the end of our discussion.

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The Crisis Management System - Notes to the Study Abroad Director

Guidelines and Procedures

As the students report on their list of questions, write their responses on the flip chart and check them off as they are answered in the course of the discussion. The questions that the students develop will likely be easily answered during the course of your presentation and the Q & A with your guest speaker. If possible, the presence of a representative from the American Embassy, such as the Regional Security Officer, will give the students the opportunity to hear from another source about the importance of being prepared and following directions. Hearing from an "outside" party also reinforces the message that the plan was not conceived in a vacuum but is part of a larger system of people and organizations that will be working to manage the crisis.

After you have listed the questions on a flip chart, present your Evacuation Plan. If you are not the Program Director, ask him or her to present the Plan to lend credibility and importance to the issue.

In presenting the Plan, be sure to cover basic information. Be specific, but try not to get bogged down in lots of details, as people tend to forget even basic information in a time of crisis. Focus on "the big picture," as well as on helping the students understand why they must follow these procedures.

During the discussion, be sure to include the following:

The stages that comprise your plan, along with criteria for progression to the next stage. For example:

Stage I

Stand fast (remaining at school and preparing to act)

Stage II

Consolidation (proceeding to predetermined assembly points)

Stage III

Evacuation (proceeding to, or waiting for, transport to the evacuation point)
How students will be notified of what stage is in effect and when it changes. Use names of places, persons, and events.
What they must do (and not do) at each stage. Emphasize that individual actions affect the safety of the entire group.
Review concrete actions to be taken by students (e.g., pack a bag, know communication networks).
Review alternative plans for communication, travel, and safe lodging if the current system fails.
Discuss possible outcomes of an evacuation:
- Consolidation abroad
- Evacuation to another country or US
- Return to the country after evacuation
- Suspension of your studies
Reassure students that, in the event of an actual emergency, specific, written information will be given to them regarding emergency assembly points, collection routes, lines of communication, etc.

NOTE: You may want to show a sample document to the students so they know what to expect.

In a crisis situation, you may be asked to act in the absence of complete information about the events surrounding the crisis.

Exercise

Read the case study below and, in small groups, discuss and answer the questions that follow. The situation described is a true case about students in the Philippines.

The Situation

In June of 1990, the study abroad program was abruptly suspended in the Philippines. Students were evacuated to the safe haven of Honolulu, Hawaii for a series of "Processing and Moving On".

Many students did not fully understand or agree with the reasons for the suspension of the program in the Philippines. What most of them did not know was that a student had been abducted by opposition forces and was still missing. However, as the crisis unfolded, the students were instructed to carry out the evacuation without knowing why they were being asked to leave.

By the time the students got to Honolulu, there was a great deal of anger, sadness, guilt, fear, and anxiety on their part. Common issues which came out of the counseling sessions focused on the abruptness of leaving, the lack of closure (lack of opportunity to say goodbye to friends, pack belongings, etc.), and the uncertainty and lack of preparedness for the future.

Once the students learned about the kidnapping, they were able to perceive the reasons for the evacuation without distortion. Loyalty to their friend, respect for his welfare, and acceptance of the actions deemed appropriate by those in charge helped them deal with the evacuation in an entirely different light.

What may have been some reasons why the students were given limited information during the evacuation?

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What problems or feelings -- apart from those caused by the crisis itself -- might occur because of this lack of information?

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What might have helped the students to cope better in this situation?

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The Realities of Peace and Order: Independence vs. Authority - Notes to the Study Abroad Director

Independence vs. Authority

The purpose of this exercise is to get the students to think hard about dealing with a crisis in the context of the complexities of political realities. This exercise will likely produce a lively discussion on the subject. This case illustrates both the impact of missing information on one's ability to cope, as well as the lessons learned for handling similar situations more effectively in the future. Likewise, it illustrates the dichotomy between the need for clear guidance and support from an authority structure, and respect for student maturity, individuality, and ability to deal with security issues.

What may have been some reasons why the students were given limited information during the evacuation?

There are many reasons why students may not have been told about the kidnapping during the evacuation. Some of the most probable are the following:

Any of the reported events had to be confirmed or verified before being made public.
The safety of the victim had to be considered.
The kidnapped student's family needed to be notified first and in the proper way.
Potentially sensitive information could not be given to the general public for security reasons.
As always, any dissemination of information related to security had to be coordinated and approved by the U.S. Embassy.

The group will come up with good answers to this question. In addition to their responses, now is the opportunity to clearly explain the policy on crisis management. These are the most important:

The program in each country is charged with ensuring the safety and well-being of its students. To that end, it will do whatever is necessary and possible in a crisis situation to protect students.
This responsibility may sometimes seem to conflict with the value of respect for the individual's independence. In reality, when it is a matter of life or death, the authority of the governing body ( the State Department, Country Director, Embassy, national policy) will supersede the goal of accommodating the individual wishes of students.
While each of us responds to and deals with crisis uniquely, there is little time "in the moment" to negotiate how a situation will be handled. Students need to follow all orders to respond quickly, regardless of the explanation that may or may not come with those orders.

What problems or feelings -- apart from those caused by the crisis itself -- might occur because of this lack of information?

The group will probably suggest some of the more obvious responses to this question. You should consider raising some of the more subtle issues of this situation, as well:

Students were faced with loss of belongings, everyday life as they knew it, friends and community. Dealing with these losses is traumatic even when the causes are clearly understood. The lack of a "good reason" only intensifies emotions for students.
As students, one way we adapt to new surroundings is to remain relatively neutral about political values and systems. In so doing, we may unconsciously dull our senses regarding the seriousness of a political environment. In reality, it can be very difficult to suddenly switch gears and believe that drastic action, like an evacuation, is truly necessary.
Lack of information could have created a lack of trust in the decision-makers, which could have led to feelings of being misled about the seriousness of the situation, which, in turn, could have increased the students' sense of helplessness.

What might have helped the students to cope better in this situation?

In retrospect, the lessons learned from the Philippines crisis are significant. Among them is the need to communicate as clearly as possible the reasons for directives. Ironically, when a reason may be most needed to help students cope, providing such information may violate security. Helping students understand this before a similar situation arises is an important lesson of this training module. Ensure the students that, when at all possible during a crisis, they will be kept informed and that, when information is withheld, there is a good reason to do so. They will be fully informed as soon as it is safe to do so.

Action Planning

Exercise

Create a "to do" list below, answering the questions. What must I do at my school, to be well prepared for a personal or national crisis?

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Action Planning - Notes to the Study Abroad Director

Encourage the group to recall those key actions and steps discussed in the workshop. But be open to ideas that were not covered since as students they will probably have strong views on this issue of preparedness.

What must I now do at my school, to be well prepared for a personal or national crisis?

As soon as possible after I arrive at my school, I will give the local authorities and study abroad office a map of my location and any potential phone numbers.
I will plan what personal belongings I will need to pack in a small bag should I have to evacuate my living quarters.
I will secure my home and any belongings as best I can before I leave for abroad.
I will know the communications network, travel plans and safe lodging already in place.
I will periodically review alternative plans for communication, travel and safe lodging in case the current system fails.

(Adapted from the Crisis Management Handbook: A Guide for Overseas Staff, Peace Corps Volunteer Safety Council)