On 30 July, the Ambassador Linda Cross and the Consular Team held a meeting with the British community in Quito to give up-to-date information about our consular services and to explain the importance both to the Embassy and to the community of residents registering their presence, using the FCO's "LOCATE" online registration system, to enhance the consular team's ability to provide help in an emergency such as a major natural disaster.

The presentation included a brief explanation on what the consulate can and cannot do for British tourists and residents in Ecuador, followed by a summary of the main natural risks and vulnerabilities in Ecuador. Since it is located in an active seismic and volcanic area, the British residents were recommended to have an internal emergency plan in place as this will help them and families to cope with an emergency and get back to normality as soon as possible. The British residents in Quito were  strongly encouraged to use the LOCATE online registration system, as it is indeed a secure tool which will help the Embassy to help them in the event of an emergency or major crisis.

The presentation session finished with a live demonstration of how to register. The invitees were given a folder with a pocket guide for consular services, a hand out with useful webpages to find information on how to prepare an emergency plan and promotional material about LOCATE registration system.