Preparing yourself for an Emergency
What's an emergency? Well it can be different things to different people, it could involve your health, your belongings, or yourself, but whatever the circumstance you should be as best prepared before you travel and on arrival in your destination, so that should the unfortunate occur you are able to deal with it effectively. An emergency event can happen anywhere and anytime, whether you are volunteering abroad or just living at home in your own country, the difference is that when you are a volunteer abroad you are most likely going to be in unfamiliar surroundings and unsure what action to take, unless you have made some preparations beforehand. So this volunteer guide is all about assisting you in preparing for the unexpected. Most volunteer experiences pass without any trouble of course, but you do not want to be the one who was not prepared for it.
Wont the Volunteer Organisations have Procedures?
Some volunteer organsiations have representatives in the country where you will volunteer and they will often be your first point of contact should something happen where help and useful advice is needed. However, you are often working in more remote locations and it is not always easy to contact that representative immediately. Secondly, there is only so much the representative can do for you and ultimately you are responsible for your own safety so it is vital you make some plans to help you to prepare for certain eventualities, which hopefully wont happen. Some volunteer organisations do not have in-country reps and if that is the case then you should certainly ensure you are prepared.
Recommended Actions
There follows some recommended actions for you to take which should help you deal with unforeseen events whilst you are travelling and volunteering.
BEFORE Travelling
1) Find out where your nearest embassy is located in the country or destinations you are travelling to and register your trip with them if you can do it before you travel. Write down the address and ideally find out how to get there and any contact telephone numbers. If you are a British national then you can use the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website
here.
2) You must get comprehensive travel insurance which includes emergency repatriation back home to your own country should you fall seriously ill.
3) Make up a list of important telephone numbers and information such as your:
- travel insurance policy number;
- a home contact number for your home for use during emergencies;
- a contact number for the airline from whom you have bought your ticket;
- any lost/stolen debit or credit card contact numbers;
- the number for reporting lost/stolen travellers cheques or travellers cards - make a note of the travellers cheque numbers too;
- and any other useful numbers or informaiton that you feel are relevant to you. Perhaps you have a special health requirement that people need to be aware of in an emergency?
It will only be one piece of paper. Make at least two extra copies of this before you travel too. Take two copies with you and leave one with a trusted family member or friend who can email it to you, or send it, or inform you of important numbers over the phone, should you lose yours. We have drawn up a simple emergency contacts form for you to complete in our checklists section if you require it.
4) Make up some copies of your passport and insurance certificate if you have one.
On Your Arrival
1) Register yourself at your embassy if you have not already done so before leaving. You should also take a copy of your passport for their records.
2) If you have an in-country co-ordinator or rep who is there to help you should anything go wrong then give them a copy of the list of important telephone numbers that you made before travelling. They may also need a copy of your passport.
3) Keep a copy of the list of important telephone numbers and information on your person at all times for easy reference should you need any of them.
In the Event of an Emergency
It depends on the emergency, but it will be important to stay calm if you can, and to obtain help and assistance as soon as you are able.
If it is health-related, get treated as soon as possible and notify your travel insurance company as soon as you can (get someone else to do it if you can't).
Report anything lost or stolen to the police as soon as you can. You will need police reports to make claims against losses. If you have one, your in-country co-ordinator may be able to assist you with this, especially if there is a language barrier.
If you are the victim of more serious crime then you should definitely seek advice from any in-country co-ordinator and your embassy. Report it to the police and take friends with you for support. If appropriate notify your travel insurer too.
If you have any comments regarding this guide on preparing for an emergency whilst volunteering abroad, then please give us feedback here. You may have some more ideas for inclusion on this page or possible amendments, which we are always grateful to receive. Thanks very much!