VZCZCXRO6884
RR RUEHRG
DE RUEHSO #0412/01 1081849
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181849Z APR 06
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHFSI/DIR FSINFATC
INFO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4872
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 6016
RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 2843
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 6995

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SAO PAULO 000412 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DIR FSINFATC for FSI/LMS/CMT, DS/IP/WHA, OBO/PE/DE/MED, POSTS FOR 
RSO 
STATE for S/ES-O/CMS AND WHA/EX 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AEMR CASC ASEC AFSI KCOM KESS OTRA BR
SUBJECT: U.S. CONSULATE GENERAL SAO PAULO UNDERGOES CRISIS 
MANAGEMENT TRAINING ACTIVITIES 
 
REF:  A) FSINFATC 1261 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY. 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY: Selected staff of the U.S. Consulate General Sao 
Paulo participated in two-day crisis management training on March 
30-31.  Observations and recommendations, keyed to reftel para 2, 
A-H, follow in cable body. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U) On March 30/31, selected staff of the U.S. Consulate General 
participated in crisis management training and exercises led by FSI 
visiting trainers.  ConGen thanks FSI for this opportunity to review 
procedures and practice emergency scenarios.  After the training, 
participating staff members remarked on the value of the training 
and discussed how to implement new best practices that emerged 
during the discussions. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) A. The Consulate believes that the amount of time 
(approximately three hours on the first day for CMT Overview 
Training and four hours for scenario run-throughs on the second day) 
was sufficient and appropriate. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) B. The crime and kidnapping scenarios were particularly 
valuable for Sao Paulo, a critical crime post. Nevertheless, post 
does not recommend dropping any of the scenarios presented, as they 
all are possible in this very large consular district that includes 
five Brazilian states. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) C. Generally speaking, the trainers adopted a "hands off" 
attitude during the course of the day two role-play training 
exercise, chiming in to provide suggestions and comments towards the 
end of the scenarios.  Post believes that this amount of 
intervention was appropriate, allowing the staff to do internal 
brainstorming and review procedures in place, but allowing trainers 
to give additional suggestions and "hints" when necessary. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) D.  The Consulate staff would react differently in a real 
crisis as a result of the training.  The Marine House will be 
activated as the Alternative Command Center (ACC).  The FSN and 
American staff will act promptly when securing and evacuating the 
Consulate, as a result of stepped up emergency drills.  The entire 
staff will have easy access to the unclassified portions of the 
Emergency Action Plan (EAP) at their desktops--either electronically 
or in paper form. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) E. Consulate staff learned many lessons from the training, 
which highlighted certain deficiencies that post will now work on 
rectifying.  The Operations Center number (202-647-1512) and other 
emergency phone numbers will be added to the laminated 
mini-Emergency Action Plan (EAP)/portable telephone card.  The 
Consulate will continue to pursue acquisition of a separate 
pre-fabricated mail screening facility.  Post needs this facility, a 
key recommendation of the FSI training team, as soon as possible. 
Avian Flu tripwires will be updated, in coordination with Embassy 
Brasilia.  Procedures on Tamiflu distribution will be evaluated. 
The newly acquired Marine House will be made ready to serve as an 
ACC, with the addition of sufficient food and water to wait out an 
emergency.  The Consular Section and RSO will refine a protocol to 
disperse all waiting visa applicants in case of emergency.  Floor 
Wardens will be provided with distinctive hats for easy 
identification during drills and actual emergencies.  Participants 
proposed a variety of changes and improvements to the EAP.  Chapter 
300 will be updated, with an emphasis on "Express Kidnappings" and 
other crimes that frequently occur in Sao Paulo.  All section heads 
will review Emergency Action Committee (EAC) roles with their 
staffs.  Unclassified portions of the EAP will be placed on the 
intranet for viewing by all staff.  The EAP as a whole will be 
modified to suit the specific circumstances of the Sao Paulo 
consular district.  Post will reconvene its Avian Flu Working Group, 
which will coordinate with the Embassy Avian Flu Working Group.  All 
FSNs will receive emergency training, including instructions to call 
Post One in any emergency and refresher training on the use of 
ChemBio masks.  Crisis drills will be scheduled regularly, including 
drills for all emergency vehicles that might service the Consulate. 
 
¶8.  (U) F. While Post believes that the CMT Overview Training was 
valuable, the Consulate FSN staff would greatly benefit from 
reviewing specific crime and emergency scenarios, similar to those 
reviewed by the EAC. As a result of the, we will broaden 
participation in the next CME to include FSNs and EFMs, as 
appropriate. 
 
¶9.  (U) G. Post believes that the current schedule of CME training, 
 
SAO PAULO 00000412  002 OF 002 
 
 
once every two years, is appropriate.  Most mid- and upper-level 
officers serve three or four years in Sao Paulo.  The current 
schedule allows for more recent arrivals to undergo training, 
building on the previous training given to officers of longer 
tenure.  Post RSO will contact CM when new threat and crime trends 
develop prior to the next visit, so that new scenarios can be added 
to upcoming training sessions. 
 
¶10.  (U). H. Post recommends that funding be provided to send one or 
more consulate staff (American and FSN) to the Foreign Service 
Institute for advanced crisis management training.  A likely 
candidate could be an American employee newly arrived at post 
assigned to a three year tour and/or an FSN of long-standing tenure 
(5-7 years) who has shown leadership potential. 
 
MCMULLEN