About Developing Emergency Action Plan

NAFSA’s Guide to Education Abroad for Advisors and Administrators 2nd ed. describes the establishment “in advance of a step-by-step set of procedures” to be used by the home institution and the on-site staff as being of “of most importance.” (p.56) This set of procedures, or Emergency Action Plan, can improve the handling of a crisis, reduce costs and injuries, and prevent a chain reaction of crises. By explicitly preparing for possible crises, the Emergency Action Plan could serve as a guide during the crisis, defining roles and responsibilities, step by step instructions, and a communication network. The plan is likely to change with time to address new issues associated with each program and capabilities as staff and students come and go. According to the Crisis Management Handbook of the Peace Corps Volunteer Safety Council, there are four basic steps to creating a plan.

• Establishing a planning team
• Analyzing risks and capabilities to respond
• Developing the plan itself
• Operationalizing the plan

• Education Abroad Emergency Protocol
• SAFETI Adaptation of Peace Corps Document: Crisis Management Handbook

• Effective Crisis Management
• Safety & Emergency/Crisis Response Plan for Study Abroad
• UCEAP Emergency Response Protocols
• Appalachian International Crisis Management Protocols
• CUA Overseas Crisis Management Protocol
• International Crisis Response Protocol – Checklist
• What the Department of State Can and Can't Do in a Crisis
• Safety in University of Delaware Study Abroad Programs: Crisis Response Protocols
• Emergency Management Plan Workbook
• US State Department: Emergency Services to U.S. Citizens Abroad