One of the biggest concerns parents have when sending their child abroad is not what happens when everything goes right, but what happens when something doesn’t.
Natural disasters, political unrest, health emergencies, and extreme weather are an unavoidable part of today’s world. What matters most is having a trusted partner on the ground that knows how to respond quickly, calmly, and in students’ best interests.
That was what SAF set out to do during the California wildfires that swept through parts of the Los Angeles region in January 2025.
At the time, SAF had multiple students and programs based in Southern California, including long-term students at UCLA and California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), as well as two short-term UCLA Extension programs scheduled for January.
What followed was a multi-layered response designed to keep students safe and academically on track.
Immediate safety checks and communication
As soon as the wildfires broke out on January 7, SAF staff began contacting all affected students by phone to confirm their safety. Students were guided to sign up for official emergency alert systems at their host institutions – UCLA’s BruinALERT and CSULB’s BeachALERT – so they would receive real-time information about air quality, campus closures, and potential evacuations.
Follow-up emails reinforced this advice and included SAF’s 24-hour emergency phone number, ensuring students knew exactly where to turn if they needed help.
Why this mattered: clear communication
In an emergency, clear communication prevents panic and confusion. By connecting students directly to both SAF and their host universities’ alert systems, SAF ensured no one was relying on rumors or social media for critical safety updates.
Ongoing monitoring and coordination
Under the guidance of the IES Crisis Management Team (CMT), SAF staff tracked fire movements, air-quality levels, and university decisions daily. Although the fires came within eight miles of UCLA’s Westwood campus, no evacuation order was issued. UCLA temporarily moved classes online before resuming in person, while CSULB was largely unaffected beyond smoky air.
Why this mattered: accurate, up-to-date information
SAF based all of its student support on verified data from local authorities, universities, and housing providers, allowing for smart, timely adjustments without unnecessary disruption.
Proactive evacuation support for an at-risk student
One SAF student was living in off-campus housing just three miles from evacuation zones. Even though no official evacuation order had been issued, SAF recognized the elevated risk and took action.
Staff maintained daily contact with the student, coordinated with the housing provider, and escalated the situation to SAF’s insurance partner, CISI. As a result, evacuation benefits were activated early, allowing the student to temporarily relocate before conditions worsened.
Why this mattered: Fast and prepared responses
Rather than waiting for a formal evacuation order, SAF took a precautionary approach, ensuring the student had support in place as the situation continued to develop.
Protecting academic continuity
A customized UCLA Extension program scheduled for mid-January was postponed in consultation with UCLA and rescheduled for mid-February. SAF worked with housing providers to hold space at the same cost, and the program ultimately ran successfully, with only one student unable to attend due to the date shift.
A second UCLA Extension program in late January was able to go ahead as planned, with SAF adjusting the cultural activities to avoid affected sites, replacing a Getty Center visit with the Hammer Museum.
Why this mattered: studies and experience remains on-track
Students stayed safe without losing their academic or cultural experience, a balance that requires careful coordination and strong institutional relationships.
SAF support doesn't end in the classroom
SAF’s role goes beyond just arranging programs for students. It means having people on the ground, backed by a wider IES Global team with decades of experience managing unexpected situations, so students and their families can feel confident that someone is paying attention and ready to step in if needed.
At SAF, student health and safety are our top priorities. Click to keep reading about our highly trained in-country staff, 24/7 emergency assistance, continuous monitoring of global events, inclusive international health insurance—and all the other preventative measures we take for students.
