Anticipate the Worst: Be Prepared, Not Scared

With the growing threats of terrorism and the weight of the foreign tsunami death toll, the nagging “what if” questions are probably circulating around in your brain as you prepare for your travel abroad. While you want to enjoy your trip, you can’t help but ask yourself “Could that happen to me?” Don’t let fear drive you away from amazing experiences. Instead, be prepared in case a crisis should occur, and fly, sail, or drive away knowing that you have prepared to the best of your ability.

One of the best resources to gather information on what to do in case of a disaster is the U.S. State Department website devoted to travel: www.travel.state.gov.

Tips from the U.S. Government

The U.S. State Department:
Don’t forget to fill out the emergency information page of your passport. If you are anything like me, before reading this tip, you didn’t even know your passport had an emergency information page! Filling out this page will allow for quicker notification of your family should you be in an accident or fall ill on your travels.

Make sure to register your passport with the Embassy/Consulate in the nation in which you are traveling. Double check and ensure that your current address is on the passport.

Consular Information Sheets are available on the Department of State’s website. Read over them. They explain the conditions of the country you are in, from the political to the health conditions.

Don’t forget that a crisis may not be a natural disaster or an act of terrorism. Simply the loss of a passport or jewelry being stolen could result in a crisis for the traveler. Remember to make extra copies of your passport and refrain from wearing expensive jewelry.

FEMA:
FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has many ways to prepare for any crisis. On the website, www.fema.gov, there are links to suggestions on how to survive everything from landslides to tsunamis. They suggest:

Finding out what disasters could occur in the area to which you are traveling.

Learning how you will be informed in case of an emergency. Is there a radio or television alert?

Learning what routes to take in case of an evacuation.

Be prepared for the “what ifs”, but don’t let them ruin your trip, or prevent you from enjoying the experience of a lifetime.