The possibility of an evacuation of personnel and their families from a manmade or natural disaster keeps many security directors up at night. Evacuations are logistical ballets, where all moving parts must be practiced and happen in just the right order to be successful. And the plans must also include contingencies for the unexpected black swan events.
Evacuations, as many who have been around the “global” block know, are always last resorts and are never “only security” or “only medical” events. They are always a combination of the two. The 2010 earthquake in Haiti is a prime example, as workers, expatriates and their families dealt not only with injuries sustained in the quake itself, but also with the deteriorating public health conditions and the unraveling of the social fabric – resulting in serious threats to personal safety.