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I'm not recommending or recommending, just providing this info:

The warden program is a worldwide initiative of the U.S. State Department. It is administered by the American Citizens Services (ACS) team made up of foreign service officers and local staff who work in that section. If you are a citizen of the United States you will want to learn about this warden program and how it helps you to live a safer life in Costa Rica through support networks and communication with fellow citizens on behalf of the US Embassy.

WHAT IS THE WARDEN PROGRAM?

The warden system serves mainly as an information source and dissemination tool. The ACS team relies on wardens to provide information to the embassy about the zone where wardens live or have association. Wardens are asked to relay official correspondence from the embassy staff.

It was stressed that wardens do not act in any official capacity and are not required to put themselves in danger or act on behalf of the government unless specifically requested to do so and with specific instructions. Wardens will be asked to be available to provide real time information in case of a crisis and keep the embassy updated on any situation involving an American citizen who may need assistance. Examples where a warden may be asked to monitor a situation would be a stranded citizen in jail or the hospital.

WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC DUTIES OF A WARDEN?

Your main responsibility is to be available to disseminate or gather information during times of individual or large scale crisis. Please do your best to maintain lists of American Citizens living in your geographic zone which may help you to report on their safety, welfare, and whereabouts as needed. Work with the other wardens in your zone to come up with the best way to disseminate information quickly in times of emergency. The Consular Section transmits messages to U.S. citizens electronically, but there may be instances during crises where local infrastructure fails or inhibits the delivery of timely messages by the Consular Section. If necessary, messages for the local U.S. community may be relayed from the Embassy to you for dissemination by any means available to you.

Distribute Emergency Messages, Security Messages, or Messages for the local U.S. community as relayed from the Embassy to the members of your warden zone. The Embassy will relay Messages to you via email, fax, text, or telephone. Arrange the fastest mode of dissemination of information possible in your warden zone (this might include forwarding the Warden email to a group-email list, posting to a social media site, utilizing a cascade telephone system, faxing, or implementing a “buddy” system, depending on the distribution of citizens within your zone).

In certain cases, especially in rural or distant areas, the Embassy may call on you directly to visit a stranded American or gather specific information. Please wait for specific instructions in these cases, and do not hesitate to alert the embassy of any conditions that may make such a task dangerous.

WHAT DO WARDENS DO DURING AN EMERGENCY?

In the event of a crisis, our foremost concern is your safety. Do not put yourself at personal risk to deliver messages, information or services to us or others. When you are in a safe location, you should contact the Consular section so that we can confirm your well being and whereabouts. Be aware of your surroundings and report information that can help consular officers assess the situation. This will help the Embassy and the Department of State understand where there are needs to be met and how best to respond.Remain at home or office for emails, telephone calls, or faxes. If possible, the Embassy will email information directly to your email address. You can then distribute this message by the means you have previously set up. In addition, identical information will promptly appear on the embassy’s website at costarica.usembassy.gov.

Distribute Messages from the Embassy regarding the status of the emergency and suggested actions to be taken. Messages must be transmitted verbatim without interpreting, paraphrasing, or expanding the message.

Should it be necessary to move people to a central location, or to facilitate communication, documentation, and/or evacuation, coordinate with embassy personnel in choosing assembly areas and movement routes.

Report back to the Embassy the results of efforts to contact the members of your warden zone, information as provided by the local U.S. community and any situational information about your zone. Wardens who do not have Internet access may call a number provide. Please identify yourself as a warden and state that you are reporting back from your warden zone.

HOW DO I VOLUNTEER TO BECOME A WARDEN?

You can email acssanjose@state.gov, or call 2519-2590