Places of Refuge Planning
In some cases, the implementation of either evacuation plans or shelter-in-place policies is deemed unwise or impossible and a new option becomes necessary. If this scenario occurs, all team members should seek out pre-determined Places of Refuge. Places of Refuge are specific locations that the ICMT and Field Leaders deem accessible and safe. They can include local addresses of contacts that can provide shelter, friendly foreign embassies (such as a Canadian Embassy), a rallying point in a nearby country, or another nearby team’s location. These Places of Refuge should be written down and included in the team Crisis Management Plan specific to the location, updated annually, and known by all staff members. Places of Refuge should at least include the following:
- High ground in case of flooding
- Safe location in the same city as the team headquarters
- Safe location inside the country, but not in the same city as the team
- Rallying point outside the country other than the US
Places of Refuge Activation
Upon the decision to seek out Places of Refuge, if possible, the Field Leader should immediately determine which of the pre-determined locations each team member would travel. It is always preferable that team members travel together unless it is strategically beneficial that they travel separately or to separate locations. If communication with the Field Leader is impossible, each team should immediately determine the best location based on their information. If an individual is alone, they have the authority to immediately choose their own Place of Refuge from the pre-determined options.
After deciding where to relocate to, the team should move as quickly as possible to the location. Upon arrival the most senior member should document:
- The names of all personnel who attempted to reach their Place of Refuge
- The names of the personnel currently located at their Place of Refuge
- The names and Places of Refuge of all other members for their team
Then, the most senior member should attempt to contact the Reliant ICMT and receive further instructions. If they cannot contact the ICMT, they should seek to contact the Field Leader’s Place of Refuge if possible. They should then follow all ICMT or Field Leader instructions. If they are unable to reach either party, they should shelter-in-place at the Place of Refuge until they establish communication with the ICMT or Field Leader.
