COMPONENTS OF AMIGOS PROCEDURES
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 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.
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.