The Foreign Service Journal, April 2010

32 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / A P R I L 2 0 1 0 T HE H UMAN S PIRIT W ILL S HINE Every emergency action plan, evac- uation protocol handout and safe- haven instruction booklet contains essential information. But we must be sure not to overlook the most impor- tant component in these situations: the human spirit. After working with Operation Safe Return at San Isidro Air Base in Santo Domingo, I can attest to the fact that every single person who survived the earthquake has an in- credible story. The evacuees were tired, hungry and, in some cases, hurt and homeless, but there were still smiles on their faces. They thanked us for little things like water, a clean shirt, a cot to sleep in for a few minutes. It was amazing to see what survival really looks like. This spirit is what made serv- ing them, in the wee hours of the morning, when we, our- selves, hadn’t slept in three days, a pleasure. When we called for volunteers, employees, locally en- gaged staff and family members all answered in ways we never imagined. They brought clothes, toiletries, toys, coloring books, diapers, formula, sandwiches, apples, coffee, pillows and so much more — all from their own homes or purchased out of their own budget. They gave of their time to transform an empty hanger into a welcome center in less than 12 hours. They worked all day and night, and still managed to stop by the hospital to visit an injured evacuee for a few minutes, even with huge language barriers. They greeted busloads of evacuees at hotels to make sure they got checked into their rooms in the middle of the night. This community did so many things that are not in any standard contingency plan. The human spirit can never be placed into a list of steps to follow when an emergency oc- curs. But it is such a grand feeling to know that, no matter what, when it’s needed, this spirit will show up, and it will shine. Rebecca K. Fell Ranshaw Community Liaison Officer ■ F O C U S When it’s needed, the human spirit will show up, and it will shine.