Components of Health and Safety

Volunteer & Latin America Program (LAP) Staff Training

One of the most important components of AMIGOS emergency procedures is the extensive training that both volunteers and Latin America Program (LAP) staff receive. The components outlined below are reviewed during the two training workshops conducted each year for the LAP staff, as well as during the on-site training Project Directors and Assistant Project Directors receive during their initial survey and through contact with the International Office.

Regional Director Site Visits

AMIGOS Regional Directors, two full-time, professional staff members, travel to Latin America several times a year. In total, each spends approximately five months per year in the region s/he supervises. In addition to meeting with partnering agency officials, the Regional Directors maintain contact with an array of officials in both the public and private sectors at the national, regional and local levels. AMIGOS relies on these contacts to supply information with regard to health and safety issues. The Regional Directors, in conjunction with national contacts, identify potential project areas which could host AMIGOS in the event that a planned project needs is canceled due to safety considerations prior to the start of the summer program.

Project Director Initial Survey

During the winter and spring, the Regional Directors accompany each Project Director on a two-week survey of his or her project area. The Project Directors are introduced to the network of contacts already in place and establish new contacts relevant to the program plans. During this survey, the Project Director establishes a national level safety plan by identifying hospitals and health facilities, evacuation systems and contacts that will be instrumental in helping to secure the safety of the volunteers. In most work areas, AMIGOS has an extensive safety and security network built over years of experience working in the region.

International Trustees

International Trustees are high profile individuals who volunteer to serve as advocates and resources for AMIGOS in the countries where they reside. These are individuals connected to the business or political community who can offer significant insight and mobilize resources in support of AMIGOS in the event of an emergency. They provide invaluable assistance in establishing contacts, developing programs and monitoring nationwide conditions for volunteer health and safety.

Executive Committee of the Board

The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors, comprised of lawyers, financial experts and medical consultants among others, meets on a regular basis throughout the year. They will also meet whenever a situation of organizational risk arises. The Committee is involved in policy formulation as well as in ensuring that the policies of the Board are carried out effectively and appropriately. The Committee reviews the project areas and contingency plans at various points throughout the year. This Committee is authorized to act on behalf of the Board as needed.

Risk Analysis

AMIGOS has access to a wide-range of security information including information provided by various sources, including the US State Department and Risk Analysis divisions in private, international corporations. These sources provide accurate, updated information on activities in our host countries that could pose a safety risk. The State Department desk officers, with whom AMIGOS staff meet annually in Washington DC, provide de-classified information on the political, economic and social climate of each country where AMIGOS works. In addition, the desk officer provides information on other official US activities that may impact the AMIGOS program. The private firms are primarily concerned with risks faced by US corporate installations, and are particularly sensitive to anti-US sentiment or activities. AMIGOS also maintains routine contact with other US-based international exchange and voluntary organizations to assure consistency of safety procedures. Finally, AMIGOS consults with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in developing appropriate medical guidelines and requirements.

Contingency Plans

The Latin American Programs Department develops contingency plans in the event that a country is deemed unsafe, a program is canceled, or there is a change in volunteer numbers. Regional Directors routinely gather information regarding additional project areas in the case a project is canceled prior to the start of the summer.

Crisis Management Team

AMIGOS has a Crisis Management Team that is available for consultation and training throughout the year. This group is most active during the summer to help deal with situations that require special expertise. The Crisis Management Team is made up of professionals such as an adolescent psychiatrist, a corporate security specialist, a sexual assault crisis counselor and the AMIGOS Medical Director. These individuals assist during LAP staff and office staff training workshops. They also provide information to the International Office professional staff as safety policies are developed. During the summer, they may be accessed by project staff and office staff as their assistance is needed.

On-Call System

From the time volunteers leave for the field to the time they return, an International Office professional staff member is "On-Call" 24 hours a day. The International Office maintains two "Dedicated Lines" that are used by the LAP staff during the summer. Each LAP staff group also has the home phone numbers of key International Staff and Board members should they be unable to reach the on-call person. Vital information is recorded in a Log Book that contains all necessary emergency phone numbers and contacts in each project area. In the event that information needs to be transferred to the project messages are relayed through the International Office On-Call System.

Medical Reporting

Volunteers must be prepared to step up to the challenge of caring for their own basic health and are expected to follow simple preventative measures, such as good hygiene, water purification and prompt treatment of cuts and scratches. This information is covered in their training. Another important piece of their self-care process is that the volunteer must provide complete and timely information to the LAP staff regarding his or her medical status. One of the essential responsibilities of the LAP staff is to monitor and document volunteer health conditions and report this information to the AMIGOS On Call staff on a routine basis. Whenever an illness is reported, a medical incident report is filled out and serious conditions are called in immediately to the International Office. The On-Call professional staff member then documents the incident in the Log Book. Whenever there is a serious illness or any prescription drugs are involved, the on-call physician is consulted. Prior to the summer, the Medical Director reviews the volunteer health and medical forms to ensure that any special medical conditions are dealt with appropriately. Serious or long-term medical conditions will be reported to the volunteers’ parents. Minor health concerns will not be reported.

Standards of Personal Conduct and Community Behavior

AMIGOS prioritizes the health and safety of volunteers and LAP staff, and works to maintain a positive reputation. In order to minimize risks, AMIGOS has implemented Standards of Personal Conduct and Community Behavior. Each AMIGOS volunteer and his/her parents should understand that the following rules apply during all phases of AMIGOS participation. The Standards of Personal Conduct and Community Behavior are also discussed in the AMIGOS Volunteer Handbook.

The AMIGOS volunteer will not:

1.  engage in any behavior that may be harmful to the health and safety of the volunteer or others, nor will the volunteer engage in any behavior that may be detrimental to the program;

2. use or possess any drugs which are illegal under the laws of the United States or the host country;

3. consume any alcoholic beverage;

4. leave his/her assigned work area without prior permission from a member of the AMIGOS LAP staff;

5. engage in amorous conduct;

6. operate any motorized vehicle; ride a motorcycle

7. handle firearms; or

8. use tobacco products.

Should a volunteer violate these Standards, appropriate consequences will be determined. An infraction or disregard for the Standards may result in immediate removal of the volunteer from the work area and a return to the United States at the expense ($500 damage fee plus airline penalties) of the volunteer and/or his/her family.

Sexual Assault

Sexual assault is a risk in Latin America as in the United States. AMIGOS views sexual assault as a serious issue that requires immediate and unequivocal support from the organization. All volunteers participate in health/safety training that prioritizes sexual assault avoidance. In the event of a sexual assault, AMIGOS provides its maximum support and prompt access to counselors and health professionals as needed. Given the safety measures in place, sexual assault is a very rare occurrence while in the field with AMIGOS. A more common risk is sexual harassment. This is an issue addressed in volunteer and LAP staff training.

C.A.L.M. Plan

The C.A.L.M. Plan is the acronym for the AMIGOS Latin American emergency procedures system. C.A.L.M. stands for Contact, Assist, Lift, and Medical. The LAP staff develops the C.A.L.M. plan and reviews it with each volunteer. A carbon copy of each C.A.L.M. Card is kept at the project headquarters. The C.A.L.M. Card contains the volunteer's medical history information and instructions on how to contact various people and facilities that can help with emergencies, from the local to the national level. Volunteers are required to carry this card with them at all times. They are also asked to update the plan and communicate updated information to their field supervisor. The C.A.L.M. Card system also ensures that the staff knows how to find a volunteer in the midst of an emergency.

Life-Flight/Life-Line

In extreme medical emergencies when in-country medical care may not be available, the supplemental short-term insurance provider may arrange for emergency air ambulance service back to the United States.

AMIGOS Emergency Procedures in Action

Panama, Political Instability, June 1987

• As final preparations were being made for the AMIGOS Program, a general in the Panamanian Armed Forces resigned and accused General Noriega of various illegal activities.
• A civil disruption ensued, forcing AMIGOS to consider canceling the program.
• The Executive Committee gathered information from various official sources and decided to cancel the AMIGOS project.
• AMIGOS contingency plans were reviewed and preparations for moving the project began.
• All chapter presidents, parents of Panama volunteers and in-country contacts were informed of the suspension.
• The Regional Director accessed the International Trustee and other officials to assess the situation and coordinate the possible evacuation of the LAP staff.
• Information from the Risk Analysis Team, the State Department and the Executive Committee was reviewed.
• Panamanian officials and US Embassy contacts assisted in the evacuation of the LAP staff.
• All Panama volunteers were reassigned and arrived in their new project sites safely.

Honduras, US Intervention, Spring 1988

• AMIGOS planned to return to Honduras in 1988 with a community sanitation program.
• The Regional Director reinstated AMIGOS contacts with the Honduran Ministry of Health and the Project Director completed a successful survey in the early spring.
• In the spring, US troops were sent to Honduras in response to anti-American activity in Tegucigalpa.
• Information was gathered from a risk analysis consultant and the Director of the Peace Corps for Honduras.
• It was determined that the anti-American climate in the country would make it inappropriate for AMIGOS to return to Honduras in 1988.
• The LAP staff was reassigned to Michoacán, Mexico, the planned contingency project.

Costa Rica, Medical Emergency, Summer 1988

• Two volunteers suffered appendicitis and both followed their CALM plans to get to the appropriate medical facility.
• During both of the situations, the International Office was able to arrange 3-way calls between separated parents, volunteers and parents, the AMIGOS Medical Director and the attending physician.
• Both volunteers recuperated quickly and returned home after a brief hospital stay.

Paraguay, Coup d'Etat, Spring 1989

• A coup d' etat occurred in Paraguay and President Alfredo Stroessner was removed from office after a reign of over thirty years.
• The Regional Director began communications immediately with International Trustees in Paraguay and representatives of US corporations operating in Paraguay. Discussions focused on the new government's perceptions of AMIGOS and its capacity to support the AMIGOS program.
• Safety information was gathered through an AMIGOS Risk Analysis Consultant and the US State Department.
• It was decided that the situation in Paraguay was stable.
• The Regional Director and the Project Director were introduced to the new government officials during the Initial Survey later in the spring.
• The 1989 program in Paraguay was successful and well received by the new government.

Ecuador, Cholera Epidemic, Spring 1991

• Cholera was noted as a problem in Peru in early January. In February, the International Office learned through its International Trustee in Ecuador that cholera had begun to spread from Peru into Ecuador.
• The AMIGOS Medical Director immediately began to gather information on the situation from the Centers for Disease Control and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
• The Regional Director communicated with health ministry officials and other contacts in South America to gauge the severity of the cholera epidemic.
• The President and Director of Operations of AMIGOS met with the State Department, PAHO and other contacts in Washington, DC to further evaluate the effect cholera would have on the AMIGOS program.
• Chapter Presidents were informed about the situation and the actions AMIGOS was taking at the time. Parents were invited to call the International Office with questions about cholera.
• In April, the International Office sent a packet of information on cholera (including a press release from the World Health Organization) to the families of volunteers assigned to Ecuador and Brazil, where cholera was previously determined to be a serious public health problem.
• The Volunteer Handbook was revised to include recommended precautions to avoid cholera.
• During the summer, AMIGOS programs received more attention than normal due to the renewed interest in community sanitation projects as a method of controlling cholera.
• The AMIGOS LAP staff in Ecuador was invited to participate in a conference, along with UNICEF, CARE and USAID, where a national plan for cholera control in Ecuador was developed.

Mexico, Indigenous Uprisings and Political Assassination, Spring 1994

• Indigenous uprising in Chiapas, Mexico caused great alarm and AMIGOS began gathering information from various national and international sources.
• AMIGOS began to review contingency plans to prepare for the possible cancellation of any or all three projects in Mexico.
• In March, presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio was assassinated in Tijuana, and the atmosphere of alarm increased.
• The Executive Committee closely monitored the political situation.
• By late spring the situation calmed, and after extensive evaluation of all three work areas, it was decided that it was safe to proceed with the AMIGOS program in Mexico.
• 167 volunteers and 24 LAP staff were fielded and completed successful projects.

Dominican Republic, Instability in Neighboring Haiti, Spring 1994

• In the spring of 1994, political unrest grew in Haiti as General Cedras repressed all opposition to his leadership.
• Haitian refugees flooded into the Dominican Republic, causing alarm along the border where the AMIGOS program was located.
• AMIGOS International Office Staff met with officials in Washington, DC from PAHO, USAID, and the State Department to gather more information regarding the volatile situation in Haiti.
• The Regional Director consulted with official contacts in the Dominican Republic, including the sponsoring agency, Peace Corps, the International Trustee and US Embassy officials.
• President Clinton announced that on May 21 the US would tighten the embargo against Haiti and there were rumors of an eventual US-led invasion of Haiti.
• The professional staff presented the information it had been gathering from its sources to the Executive Committee.
• On May 18, the Executive Committee decided to cancel the project in the Dominican Republic.
• The Regional Director contacted sponsoring agency officials in Ecuador and a new project was established in the province of Cotopaxi.
• The entire project was moved to Ecuador where a late six-week project was implemented.

Ecuador, General Strike and Mid-Summer Evacuation, Summer 1999

• Despite continued assurances regarding the viability of the AMIGOS program in Tungurahua, a general strike and deteriorating economic conditions forced the suspension of the project.
• LAP staff received word that a transportation strike was planned for July 5 in protest of recent hikes in gasoline prices.
• LAP staff was advised by IO to check in regarding security procedures with local and national emergency contacts. IO staff also recommended that LAP staff remain in Ambato and that all volunteers remain in their communities. Emergency resources concurred with the recommendation to minimize travel during the strike.
• The Regional Director arrived in Quito on July 4. On July 5, the strike began, effectively halting all interprovincial transport. The strike was enforced by non-violent crowds of people at strategic points who used physical obstacles to prevent travel, including nail spillage, large trees, boulders and dead animals on the roadways.
• As the strike continued, LAP staff, in consultation with IO, decided to temporarily remove from their communities those volunteers who had least access to communication and local medical resources. By July 9, half of the volunteers were in Ambato. The expectation remained that the strike would conclude shortly and volunteers would return to their host communities.
• Upon recommendation of AMIGOS staff and partners, the AMIGOS President decided on July 13 to evacuate the remaining volunteers and end the project.
• LAP staff worked with agency partners to gain safe passage through road blocks to reach as many of the host communities as possible and escort volunteers back to Ambato.
• Air travel options from Ambato to Quito were extremely limited and due to space limitations on the chartered planes, the volunteers departed in two groups over the next three days. Each group returned safely to the US the day after arriving in Quito.