A thorough assessment of the safety and security situation must be undertaken when an emergency occurs. If the emergency occurs in a country where CARE has no presence, the basics of safety and security will have to be developed. In countries where CARE already has a long-term presence, existing security systems will have to be informed by the new emerging security situation and procedures adapted in response to any new risks. Crisis often changes the security context, and you must be ready to change with it.
The assessment of the security situation involves general assessment; specific assessment of security threats, vulnerabilities and risks; and an assessment of the safety and security operating conditions. The Safety and Security Officer should form part of this general humanitarian assessment team and will feed into the general assessment which that team is undertaking. Guidelines on humanitarian assessment are outlined in the Assessment chapter.