WASHINGTON, D.C., May 28, 2004 – 3:00 PM EST – In light of the recent flooding, all Peace Corps volunteers currently serving in the Dominican Republic have been contacted by Peace Corps staff and are safe. No volunteers are serving in or near the area affected by the heavy rains and floods.

Even though volunteers were not in immediate flood zones or danger, the Peace Corps post activated their Emergency Action Plan to verify the safety of all 162 volunteers.

Peace Corps headquarters and staff in the Dominican Republic will continue to monitor the situation as rain has been forecast for the weekend.

In preparation for possible natural disasters, each Peace Corps program has an Emergency Action Plan specific to that country. The plans are tested frequently and information is updated constantly. Posts are prepared for all emergencies.

If families have questions or concerns, they may contact the Peace Corps’ Office of Special Services at 1-800-424-8580, extension 1470, or after hours at 202-638-2574. The Office of Special Services maintains a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week duty system.