Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
travel internally. The assembly area should be amply stocked with non-
perishable food items, fresh water, and medicine. Anyone taking pre-
scription medication should have enough on hand to weather the crisis.
The State Department has identified three phases of an evacuation
and a fourth that necessitates staying in place. Each stage has a specific
set of procedures attendant to it. The phases are:
Phase I, Alert Stage:
A warning to companies and individuals of host
country instability.
Phase II, Limited Action:
Increased preparation for evacuation
includes those preparations made under conditions of increased ten-
sion or instability that could lead to partial or complete evacuation of
expatriate employees and their dependents.
Phase III, Evacuation Phase:
Final preparation and/or evacuation
includes those preparations made under conditions in which the deci-
sion to evacuate is imminent or has already been made. Withdrawal
and cessation of business is imminent or under way.
Standing Fast:
Could be implemented in the event that evacuation is
not considered prudent. Under this concept, employees and their
dependents would remain in their quarters (or other designated loca-
tion) for an extended period of time until tensions abate.
In Phase I, a situation begins to develop in the host country or region
that engenders some concern from the embassy. Typically, the embassy will
issue a warning or simply advise the expatriate community of the nature
of the incident causing some concern. This notice should be considered
akin to a hurricane warning or perhaps a report from the U.S. Geological
Survey detailing some minor seismic activity that may foreshadow an earth-
quake. It is at this stage, the earliest twitch, that preplanning should be
done. The evacuation committee should meet and discuss the recent events.
The evacuation plan should be reviewed and assessed. Every what-if should
be pondered, and the employee notification system should be tested.
The State Department recommends that evacuation priorities be estab-
lished. It suggests:
First priority— dependents
●
Second priority— individuals other than key expatriate employees
●
Third priority— key expatriate employees
●