In times of fear and emergency, you are not alone.
Bus crash in Bolivia, fire in a nightclub in Brazil, heart attack of your spouse or dysentery from food poisoning—all will affect you; leave you vulnerable, sick, injured or possibly dying. When you are away from home, away from your family—your support structure—and not familiar with the location, practices or language, it can be scary. You will feel all alone, alone with your fear and pain.
If you are prepared to handle an immediate issue on your own and have access to emergency medical and security assistance services offered by travel insurers and companies like our sister company Intrepid 24/7, you will be able to get through the fear and hopefully come back alive and in one piece.
I have been involved with five major assistance companies for travellers and have been in situations that put me in the middle of serious emergencies. I have been with—both in person and on the phone—many people who were dying, struggling to handle an accident, major illness, or the critical status and looming death of a loved one, or perhaps even considering their own mortality. No one is ready for it, no one. Even if the disease has run its course for years, death always comes as a shock.
What many people don’t know is that you can be better prepared, become able to handle the immediacy of a problem and get help. This is a common global necessity. Governments run specific commercials to address this part of life; they say “be prepared to handle an emergency on your own for at least 72 hours in case of a natural disaster.” And, in case of a medical event or accident, you should know the basics: CPR, first aid and how to remain calm.
How do you become prepared? How do you train? Here are some quick tips:
Be aware of your surrounding at all times. Where are the exits and entrances? What type of people are around you? Use your senses, sight, hearing, touch and smell. If you hear screams, shouts, a loud noise that doesn’t fit, the music stops suddenly, if you smell smoke, see flames, feel heat or experience a sudden change in temperature, if you see the crowd move or the attention of others shift quickly, they could all be signs of an event.
How would you leave a location if a problem occurred? Plan a route. Remember smoke, gases and debris will kill more people than flames, shrapnel will kill or injure more people than a blast. People will harm people more than a natural event. Do not get trapped in an enclosed space. In case of a fire, crawl; if needed, put a damp rag in front of your mouth, move fast, do not freeze. Doing something small might make the difference and save you. Talk to professionals or research safety.
Take courses. CPR, first aid, self defence (allowing you to escape—not fight). Research destinations, learn about stress management, keep fit. Be observant, look around, ask questions and have a buddy system.
Prepare an emergency plan. Keep it simple and have copies of documents in case you need them (passports, visas, etc.). Have an emergency contact list (make sure people on it know they are on it) and register with your government when you are travelling.
Learn languages and how to communicate with others. You may not need a language, but be able to express yourself in the right way. Sign language is a terrific tool.
Don’t do stupid stuff! I don’t mean that you shouldn’t take a chance or a risk, I mean really don’t get involved in stupid stuff, like going down a dark alley in a strange city because you heard there was a cool bar, or jumping in a car with a person you just met when you are alone, or putting on a parasail or parachute that has seen its last days, or going to a location where there is fighting (with or without guns) because you’re curious or you want to become a journalist like Robert Young Pelton. Every year, travellers get into trouble or have a bad experience because they weren’t smart travellers.
If you participate in a dangerous activity that needs training and experience, like travelling to war zones, aiding those in troubled spots or climbing Mount Everest, remember that rescuers can only come to your aid when they know you need them (so you need to find a way to communicate). Until they are able to physically get there to help, you will need to deal with the issue. You need to develop a support group and a plan until help arrives. You cannot get a helicopter or plane to the summit of Everest and an air ambulance can’t fly into areas where they are shooting down planes. Assistance will come, but it will almost always be delayed by logistics and practical issues.
I don’t believe in a paralyzing fear of the unknown and I do not believe that the world is a scary place—it isn’t. There’s a greater chance of being hit by a car in your hometown than experiencing a terrorist attack while abroad. But because you never know when the unexpected might happen, I do believe in being prepared, being responsible for yourself, your family, and your group, and training so you know what to do.
I believe in what we do. I believe in our products, our services and our people. I know we can help—and do help—our clients in emergencies every day. We have done the seemingly impossible; evacuations from the summit of Everest, from the middle of war zones, from flood ravaged countries and from the bottom of the sea. But the most complex cases always take time, need the involvement of those on the ground and require a whole lot of patience.
Be prepared; it will save your life.