American Citizen Services

Crisis Preparedness

An American citizen looks at contact information for the Embassy during a visit to the Consular Section (Photo: Brigitte Motto/US Embassy)

What can the U.S. Embassy and State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs do for Americans caught in a disaster or a crisis abroad?   Earthquakes, hurricanes, political upheavals, acts of terrorism, and hijackings are only some of the events threatening the safety of Americans abroad.  Each event is unique and poses its own special difficulties, but for the State Department there are certain responsibilities and actions that apply in every crisis.

When a disaster or crisis occurs the State Department sets up a Task Force, or working group, to bring together in one room all the experts necessary to work on the situation.  This Washington Task Force will be in touch by telephone 24 hours a day with our Ambassador and other officers at the embassy in the country affected.   In a Task Force, the immediate job of the Bureau of Consular Affairs' representative is to respond to the thousands of concerned relatives and friends who begin to telephone the State Department immediately after the news of a disaster is broadcast.  Relatives want information on the welfare of their family members and on the disaster.

The State Department relies on its embassies and consulates abroad for factual information.  Often the disaster affects our embassies, and sometimes the lack of electricity and telephone service impedes the flow of information.  Nevertheless, Foreign Service Officers work hard to get information back to Washington as quickly as possible.  This is rarely as quickly as the press is able to report on the event, because Foreign Service Officers cannot speculate; their information must be accurate.  You can help yourself and your relatives by planning in advance (see emergency preparedness message):

• Register your presence in Cote d'Ivoire with the Embassy.
  
• Ensure your passport is valid, and apply for a renewal in a timely fashion.
  
• Gather all vital documents into a secure location.  Make photocopies which you keep separately.
  
• Keep informed by watching/listening to the news, reading newspapers and referring to the State Department's Consular Information Sheets, Public Announcements, and Travel Warnings.
  
• When traveling, leave your itinerary and contact information with family/friends at home.
  
• When traveling, arrange for regular communications with family/friends through e-mail or phone calls.
  

For more information, please see U.S. Department of Homeland Security website.