Parents / Safety
At the International Center for Development Studies in Costa Rica, we consider the health and safety of our students to be of the highest priority. We have emergency plans and specific indications regarding culture and how to react in emergency situations. in preparation for any personal, national or global emergency, students are provided with emergency contact information during the on-site orientation session, and the same information is available in the reception office of ICDS. The persons in charge of activating ICDS emergency plans are Dr. Jorge Nowalski and Ms. Bernardita Rodriguez. Even before their arrival in Costa Rica, ICDS students are provided with ICDS regular and emergency contact information, including the Academic Director’s and Study Abroad staff’s personal cell phone and home numbers. Students have a way to get in touch with them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week when necessary.
As an additional resource to be easily located and assisted in cases of emergency --especially events during which foreigners in general may be at risk—at the beginning of the program ICDS students are required to register at their home country Embassy. US students may do so online, providing their passport and emergency contact information in Costa Rica.
Host families are given a list of food/water/emergency supplies to be kept at their homes, and in case of an emergency, specially if it is of a medical nature, the host families are instructed to tend to the student first (taking him/her to a safe place or to the nearest hospital –public or private—as soon as possible), and then notify ICDS so that ICDS may contact the student’s family and the appropriate person at the home university if necessary.
Students are required to provide ICDS, their host families, or both with their contact information when they travel out of town during weekends. If they travel abroad during holidays, they should leave their itinerary and contact information with ICDS before leaving.
Should the situation warrant it, we would send emails to students’ designated emergency contacts (host university) to keep them apprised of the situation abroad and ICDS’s response to any crisis.
As an additional resource to be easily located and assisted in cases of emergency --especially events during which foreigners in general may be at risk—at the beginning of the program ICDS students are required to register at their home country Embassy. US students may do so online, providing their passport and emergency contact information in Costa Rica.
Host families are given a list of food/water/emergency supplies to be kept at their homes, and in case of an emergency, specially if it is of a medical nature, the host families are instructed to tend to the student first (taking him/her to a safe place or to the nearest hospital –public or private—as soon as possible), and then notify ICDS so that ICDS may contact the student’s family and the appropriate person at the home university if necessary.
Students are required to provide ICDS, their host families, or both with their contact information when they travel out of town during weekends. If they travel abroad during holidays, they should leave their itinerary and contact information with ICDS before leaving.
Should the situation warrant it, we would send emails to students’ designated emergency contacts (host university) to keep them apprised of the situation abroad and ICDS’s response to any crisis.
