As for all trips abroad, The World Protection Group encourages everyone to take the following basic steps:
- Register your trip with the U.S. State Department at: https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/ui/.
- Research the safety and security at the hotel and area before reserving at that location.
Once at the hotel, keep the following points in mind:
- Have all emergency contact information for the U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate and hotel security director programmed into your cell phone. Make contact with these people at the beginning of your trip.
- Stay in a room between the 2nd and 7th floors. This makes it easier to exit in the event of a fire or terrorist attack, and the fire department will concentrate on these floors first.
- Know where the stair exits are within the hotel and become familiar with them, make a point to walk down the stairs on the first day of your stay.
- If you have a vehicle, make sure you can get to it and exit the property quickly at all times.
- Visit the nearest trauma hospital so in case of a medical emergency you know exactly where it is and how to get there.
- Be trained in CPR, First Aid, & AED. Travel with a first aid kit.
If an incident does occur while you are staying at the hotel:
- Exit the hotel immediately if you feel that you can get out safely – i.e. you know what area of the hotel the bad guys are in and will not cross their path.
- If you are do not know where the bad guys are or are unable to exit:
– Remove the “Do not disturb” sign on the outside of the door. The ‘bad guys’ will see the sign,
suspect you are inside, and potentially attempt to gain entry to your room.
– Watch the news channel at a low volume to monitor what is going on at the hotel.
– Do not talk on your cell phone – this could be monitored by the ‘bad guys’.
– Do not make any noise and keep doors locked
