Evacuation (Political or Natural Disaster)
In the event of severe political or environmental circumstances that pose imminent danger to travelers, SM经典合集 has established protocols to prioritize the safety and swift evacuation of its community members. This page outlines the authority, procedures, and coverage details and requirements for non-medical evacuations.
- Authority and Procedure
- Coverage
- Disclosures for High Risk Destinations
- Countries Requiring Pre-Disclosure
Authority and Procedure
In circumstances where travelers are perceived to be in imminent danger resulting from a severe political or environmental circumstances, and the window of opportunity for action is short, the Director of the Office of Global Safety and Security or the Vice President for Operations and the institution’s evacuation assistance provider, in conjunction with the school or unit sponsoring travel, when possible, have the authority to immediately suspend travel and initiate evacuation proceedings.
Students who refuse to comply with evacuation orders will lose their student status (impacting their financial aid), evacuation insurance coverage, and health insurance coverage (if provided by Northwestern).
Coverage
Qualified Northwestern students are covered by a blanket medical insurance and assistance plan with Blue Cross Blue Shield Global Solutions (BCBS Global Solutions), formerly GeoBlue, which includes security/natural disaster/political unrest evacuation coverage through Crisis24. Students who are permitted to waive the Northwestern BCBS Global Solutions coverage because their study abroad program provider offers comparable coverage are subject to the evacuation conditions of that policy.
Northwestern faculty and staff traveling on university business will be automatically covered by Northwestern's business travel insurance program provided by BCBS Global Solutions.
Only Crisis24, Northwestern's security assistance provider, can determine whether or not an evacuation will be "covered" under the policy. A covered evacuation will be offered for a stated time frame. Students who refuse to avail themselves of evacuation services through BCBS Global Solutions / Crisis24 during the stated time frame cannot request evacuation services at a later date.
Prior Approval for Restricted Locations
Crisis24, Northwestern’s provider for political, security, and natural disaster evacuation (PEND) services, requires prior approval for travel to restricted locations. These locations are designated by Crisis24 and are subject to additional review to determine eligibility for PEND coverage in the event of a serious, non-medical emergency.
Requirements
- Faculty and Staff:
Must complete a Prior Approval Request and submit it to globalsafety@northwestern.edu at least 5 business days prior to departure. - Students:
Must register their travel in the International Travel Registry at least 4 weeks before departure, if traveling to a restricted location. Prior approvals for restricted locations are managed through this system. - Traveling Dependents:
Any dependents accompanying a Northwestern traveler must be included in the disclosure.
Failure to complete required disclosures may impact eligibility for evacuation services.
Locations Requiring Prior Approval
The following destinations currently prior approval from Crisis24 for evacuation services:
Afghanistan; Belarus; Burundi; Central African Republic; Chad; Democratic Republic of Congo; Ethiopia (Tigray region only); Haiti; Iran; Iraq; Israel; Lebanon; Libya; Mali; Myanmar; Niger; Nigeria (Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Zamfara, and northern Adamawa states only); North Korea; Pakistan; Palestinian Territories; Republic of South Sudan; Russia; Somalia; Syria; Ukraine; Venezuela; and Yemen.