Who
to view all the images on a page and controls 
to start and stop a slideshow.Health & safety
A Road Less Traveled
Livingston, Guatemala
Photo courtesy of Shannon Baines
Fortunately, we travel to relatively safe areas. Nonetheless, it is prudent to take sensible precautions. We outline some of the most important ones here, and we encourage every team member to explore and research on their own to gain a sense of the best practices for save travelling.
Common Sense
- Never travel or walk alone -- use the buddy system
- Don't walk around town after dark
- Drink only bottled or purified water
- Eat only foods that are cooked or peeled
- Avoid touching animals. Even cute puppies and kitties may carry disease
- Protect yourself from sun and insects with blocks, repellents and long sleeves and pants
- Follow safe construction site practices as directed
Village clinic
Molepolole, Botswana
Photo by Dave Bezaire
Immunizations
Everyone needs to check with a travel medicine specialist to get the immunizations that are necessary for you. In Columbus, there are two providers available:
- Travel & Immigration Clinic, 745 W. State. St., 614-224-9052.
- OSU Thomas Rardin Family Practice, 2231 N. High, 614-293-2700.
For those who want to wade into a site filled with technical details, the Centers for Disease Control is the primary source. Once you peruse it, you will understand why we believe that you need a physician to interpret it for your specific situation.
Thai mason
Na Toey, Thailand
Photo courtesy of Bob Schneider
Documentation
For additional protection in the unlikely event of a medical emergency, it is recommended that all team members complete the optional Medical Authorization and Medical History forms for additional confidence and peace of mind. These forms are more extensive than Habitat for Humanity International's standard Emergency Contact Information form in order to handle even the rare chance that you become unconscious or otherwise unable to speak for yourself when treatment is needed. Take the time to complete these forms so you are sure that the necessary information and authorization will be available to medical personnel.
Please download the following three files and use Microsoft Word to "fill-in-the-blanks" according to the instructions. Please note that the "Instructions" and the "History" forms are ready to use. However, the "Authorization" form is a generic sample. You will receive an email with a slightly customized version that contains data specific to the your trip.