Emergency Preparedness the Focus of Annual Warden Meeting

Left to right: Warden Eytan Saffer, Ambassador James Cunningham, Consular Associate
Charlotte Lawrence, Warden Moriah Ordman, Consul General Andrew Parker.

On Monday April 11, 2011, Consul General Andrew Parker and American Citizen Services Chief Elisa Greene hosted more than 30 American wardens from across Israel at the Embassy’s annual warden conference. The speakers included Ambassador James Cunningham, and Defense Attaché Col. Jeffrey Hood who discussed the role of the Department of Defense in a time of crises.

Two of the Embassy’s vice consuls and one of the Embassy’s regional security officers also spoke about their experiences in Cairo, Egypt earlier this year, where they assisted with the evacuation of more than 2,000 Americans.

They emphasized the importance of readiness for a crisis, particularly always having a valid U.S. passport in your possession. They also recommended that all American citizens remember to stay in touch with the Embassy by signing up for warden messages, registering with the State Department and becoming a fan of our Facebook page.

At the conclusion of the conference, the Ambassador presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Warden Sandy Berlinger, for her invaluable support of American Citizen Services (ACS) section. During a recent visit of the ACS section to Bet Shemesh, Berlinger helped coordinate more than 200 appointments for passports for the large U.S. citizen community there.

“The Embassy is grateful for the excellent support of our network of Wardens,” Parker said. “With your help we stand ready to respond to any emergency situation involving the welfare of American citizens.”