ACS emails, and the "Safe Travelers Enrollment Program"

Ever wondered what kinds of email people get from the embassy when they're overseas?  

No, I thought not. I didn't wonder, either; still, it's interesting (and maybe helpful) to know about these outreach efforts. So far, the email blasts I've gotten have included

• A town-hall on absentee voting (this was in June, before I even arrived)
• An email about bringing ballots to the Embassy to mail back to the U.S. -- we can't vote at the Embassy, but we can use their mail service to mail ballots, which is lovely because regular Panamanian mail service is unreliable and Fed Ex and UPS are super expensive.
• Walk-in services about social security issues (several times)
• Appointment slots for consular services such as notaries, help with passports.  I've gotten several of these.
• A curfew alert (see below for more about this)
• An evacuation drill day (again, see below)
• My favorite: career opportunities!  If you think a life of travel might be for you, check it out!  In fact, I'll share the info from this email first.

Career Opportunities

"Have you ever wanted to become a diplomat for the U.S. government? Here is your chance!  The exam to apply for careers in the U.S. Foreign Service is offered at the USMA-Universidad Santamaria La Antigua testing center in Panama City." . . . 

"For additional information on pursuing a career in the Foreign Service, to learn about what career track might be right for you, and to explore in detail the steps of the Foreign Service hiring process, please go to FSOT Selection Process and  Department of State Careers.  If you have specific questions about the Foreign Service Officer Test, you may send an e-mail to FSOTQuestions@state.gov. "

Curfew Alert

Panama can be wonderful, but it's also the thin bottleneck between South America and North America, and that means that of the many things that pass through the country, some are dangerous. The State Department issues advisories to U.S. Citizens traveling here, so I knew long before I arrived I was required to avoid parts of Darien and the Mosquito Coast. I'd also been told I'd be contacted with updates as necessary, and sure enough on August 29th, we got the first (and so far, only)such update. Neither of the places mentioned are particularly near to us, fyi, and also I'm not outside at night, so I'm not particularly concerned for my safety. Rather, I'm glad to have these updates.

Message for U.S. Citizens: Curfew Alert

Location: San Miguelito area of Panama City and Colón province 

Event: President José Raúl Mulino announced on August 29, 2024 that curfews will be enforced from 9:00 PM to 6:00 AM in the San Miguelito area of Panama City and Colón province.  This is in response to rising number of homicides and drug-related incidents in these areas.  The government has not yet announced specific dates for the curfew.   

U.S. citizens should practice vigilance and should shelter in place if near affected areas during curfew times.  Review personal security plans; remain aware of your surroundings, including local events; and monitor local news stations for updates.  

Actions to Take: 

• Avoid large crowds and protests, shelter in place when necessary 
  Be aware of your surroundings at all times 
  Monitor local news 
  Remain vigilant 

• Always carry your charged mobile phone for emergency communications 

 

National Evacuation Practice Drill

This didn't directly affect me, but it was kind of nice to know in advance that I'd see unusual activity out and about that day.  (Even though, it turns out, I didn't notice anything at all unusual this day, after all).

Title: October 14 National Evacuation Practice Drill

Location: Panama

Event: On Monday, October 14th, “Sistema Nacional de Proteccion Civil,” or SINAPROC, will conduct a nationwide evacuation drill focused on strengthening coordination, preparation and response capacity during a potential emergency. This large practice simulation drill will involve numerous Panamanian Government entities, including emergency response teams, educational institutions, private companies, and civil society groups. Information from SINAPROC is available here in Spanish.

Overall impressions

I get a lot less email from ACS than I get from my College: I probably get an email from ACS every 10 days or so.  In contrast, from the College where I'm an emeritus professor, I still get all the employee emails about faculty meetings, talks, grading deadlines, items for sale, etc.  I'm glad to get all of those college emails --- in fact, the reason I waited a few extra years to retire is so that I could remain part of that academic community and get all of the updates about what's going on. This is just to say, signing up for state department alerts when traveling overseas is not signing up for getting spammed or for swamping the In Box.  

The place where I signed up is https://step.state.gov, the "Safe Travelers Enrollment Program", and it's pretty easy to do this when traveling overseas.

Late-breaking update!

After I published this post, I got a same-day message from STEP about protests happening downtown.  I'm far away from downtown, but I shared this message with a bunch of people in my office whose commute takes them through the city; they thanked me profusely and left early.  They weren't so much concerned about the demonstrations or police response; they were much more focused on missing the inevitable traffic jams. 

Subject: Large Protest Expected Today (October 17) in Panama City.

At 4 p.m. today, October 17, approximately 16 different groups will hold a demonstration in downtown Panama, beginning at Parque Porras and concluding at the Presidencia in Casco Viejo. The protest is expected to cause significant traffic delays, particularly in the Calidonia area, effecting Avenida Central España and Calle 42 Este.

While most protests have remained peaceful, the Panamanian National Police have previously responded to aggressive behavior with tear gas and riot control measures.

Actions to Take: 

• Avoid demonstrations.
• Monitor local media for updates.
• Exercise caution when traveling and plan routes accordingly.
• Contact local authorities (dial 911) for any immediate health or safety concerns.
• Register for STEP (link below) and refer to our website for the latest alerts and messages for U.S. citizens.