The US Embassy in Yerevan has issued a message informing that they are recruiting community liaison volunteers (CLVs) “to assist the American Citizen Services section in communicating with Americans in Armenia, preparing for disasters, and alerting Americans to emergency situations.”

As per this statement, the “CLV Systems provide a reliable way to reach American citizens in the event of an emergency as well as facilitate the distribution of routine administrative information.  CLVs provide updates on ongoing events to Americans in their district and organizations and assist in the enrollment of newcomers in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) program.  In emergencies, CLVs may be called upon to help locate missing Americans, or visit an American citizen in a jail or hospital.”

Other CLV responsibilities include:

Preparing, updating, and maintaining a list of phone numbers and addresses (including email addresses) of U.S. citizens residing in the CLVs’ area.

Assisting the American Citizens Services section of the U.S. Embassy in selecting assembly areas and movement routes for use in the event of an evacuation in the CLVs’ area. Share this information with U.S. citizens in the area.  CLVs can also perform some functions on behalf of the Embassy to assist Americans in distress.  For example, if the Consular Section receives a report that an American has been injured far from the capital, the Consular Section could ask a CLV in the area to visit the injured person in the hospital and report back on his/her condition.

As local residents, some CLVs may have useful contacts that they can call on for information and/or assistance in their areas.  They can provide advice or information on local conditions to the Consular Office or perform specific services, such as taking possession of a deceased’s American’s belongings.