Preparing for Crises While Abroad...

Last week we saw the government collapse in Tunisia, and we?ve seen previous issues of a security nature, such as the earthquake in Haiti as well as the Israeli-Hezbollah war in Lebanon, and we thought it would be a good time to discuss the importance of ex-pats having a plan in the event of a country collapse.As an ex-pat, when you arrive in the country, the first thing you should do is register with your respective foreign embassy. In essence, the U.S. has a system called the Warden program, which alerts you to local security issues as well as provides a communications network in times of trouble. The notification process for the Warden system is an umbrella notification from the local U.S. Embassy to specific people in the community known as wardens. If you think of this in concept of a spoke and a hub, where the notifications are pushed out to the local warden representative, who in turn makes a broadcast to those individuals that he or she are responsible for.For emergency notification purposes from a communications standpoint, think about the use of message text capabilities that at times still operate when you?re unable to get a cellular connection, as well as satellite phones. It?s very important to have a flyaway kit or a backpack that you have prepared, that you can grab and go, that?s going to contain U.S. currency, local currency, food, water, a communications device such as a satellite phone, maps, and possibly even a weapon, depending upon your location. These items can be very hopeful in assisting you in getting out of the country.One other aspect to think about is in event of the airports closing, which happens, you need to have other routes of travel to get out, such as boat, roads or trains perhaps, and that?s going to vary depending upon the geography and the nature of your country that you?re operating in as an ex-pat. At times, your local friends in the community may be able to help you either get out of the contrary or safe haven for periods of time, but again, that?s going to depend upon the country that you?re in and the risk that they may take by safe-having you. What I have seen historically over the years is individuals fail to make a plan and then there?ll be some sort of collapse of government or major terrorist attack, and at that point it?s too late. From your perspective as an ex-pat, you have to have some sort of gauge as to when you think it?s time to grab your kit and go.Editor?s Note: Transcripts are generated using speech-recognition technology. Therefore, STRATFOR cannot guarantee their complete accuracy.

Source: http://www.tayyar.org/Tayyar/News/PoliticalNews/en-US/unisie-Crises-hn-1.htm

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