February 15, 2005: Headlines: COS - Samoa: COS - Tonga: Safety and Security of Volunteers: Peace Corps: Peace Corps Volunteers in Samoa and Tonga Consolidated in Preparation for Cyclone Olaf
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February 15, 2005: Headlines: COS - Samoa: COS - Tonga: Safety and Security of Volunteers: Peace Corps: Peace Corps Volunteers in Samoa and Tonga Consolidated in Preparation for Cyclone Olaf
Peace Corps Volunteers in Samoa and Tonga Consolidated in Preparation for Cyclone Olaf
Peace Corps Volunteers in Samoa and Tonga Consolidated in Preparation for Cyclone Olaf
Peace Corps Volunteers in Samoa and Tonga Consolidated in Preparation for Cyclone Olaf
Caption: Locals (L) look at a ship anchored in the harbour of the Samoan city Apia as Cyclone Olaf approaches February 15, 2005. Two cyclones, named Olaf and Nancy, battering three South Pacific island nations with gale-force winds, heavy rains and huge seas looked as if they would miss major population areas, weather officials said on Wednesday. NEW ZEALAND OUT, NO ARCHIVE, NO SALES REUTERS/Geoff Mackley
WASHINGTON, D.C., February 15, 2005 5:30 p.m. EST – Peace Corps volunteers serving in Samoa were consolidated yesterday in anticipation of Cyclone Olaf, which is expected to strike Samoa by 7:00 p.m. EST today.
There are currently 48 volunteers serving in Samoa and all but two, who are on leave in the U.S., were consolidated to two separate locations in the capital city of Apia on Monday, February 14.
Peace Corps staff in Tonga are also taking precautions in light of the slight possibility that Cyclone Olaf may strike the northern islands on February 16. There are currently 61 volunteers serving on 11 of the 36 inhabited islands of Tonga, which spread over 144,000 square miles. Given the large distances between the islands, the current projection is that Cyclone Olaf would only impact Niuatoputapu and Niuafo'ou.
The six volunteers on the islands of Niuatoputapu and Niuafo'ou were instructed to move to their consolidation points on Tuesday, February 15. As an additional safety measure, the ten volunteers in Neiafu, the next closest island, were also consolidated.
In preparation for possible crisis situations and natural disasters, each Peace Corps program has an Emergency Action Plan specific to that country and developed in cooperation with the Embassy and Peace Corps Headquarters in Washington D.C. The plans are tested frequently and information is updated constantly. Volunteers are thoroughly trained in their role and responsibilities in the Emergency Action Plan. Posts are prepared for all emergencies.
Families are encouraged to contact Peace Corps' Office of Special Services with any questions or concerns they may have. The Office of Special Services maintains a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week duty system. The telephone number during standard office hours is 1-800-424-8580, Extension 1470; the after hours number is 202-638-2574.
When this story was posted in February 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:
| The Peace Corps Library Peace Corps Online is proud to announce that the Peace Corps Library is now available online. With over 30,000 index entries in over 500 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related reference material in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can use the Main Index to find hundreds of stories about RPCVs who have your same interests, who served in your Country of Service, or who serve in your state. |
| WWII participants became RPCVs Read about two RPCVs who participated in World War II in very different ways long before there was a Peace Corps. Retired Rear Adm. Francis J. Thomas (RPCV Fiji), a decorated hero of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, died Friday, Jan. 21, 2005 at 100. Mary Smeltzer (RPCV Botswana), 89, followed her Japanese students into WWII internment camps. We honor both RPCVs for their service. |
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| Ask Not As our country prepares for the inauguration of a President, we remember one of the greatest speeches of the 20th century and how his words inspired us. "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." |
| Latest: RPCVs and Peace Corps provide aid Peace Corps made an appeal last week to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps and more than 30 RPCVs have responded so far. RPCVs: Read what an RPCV-led NGO is doing about the crisis an how one RPCV is headed for Sri Lanka to help a nation he grew to love. Question: Is Crisis Corps going to send RPCVs to India, Indonesia and nine other countries that need help? |
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This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Samoa; COS - Tonga; Safety and Security of Volunteers
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