Tourists
Prepared While Traveling
The travel community is uniquely impacted by emergency situations due to perceptions and realities linking disaster situations and travel. Whether traveling inside or outside the United States, there are ways you can prepare yourself for potential emergencies.
No matter where you are and what the situation is, have an exit strategy! Know how you’ll get out of harm’s way without needing to rely on assistance – a crisis may prevent or delay emergency responders’ ability to get to you and there will be many people needing help.
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Here’s how you can be informed, prepared, and connected:
Be Informed
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Learn about the city or country, including visa requirements, local laws, customs, and medical care in the countries where you will be. Check for any Travel Advisories for your destination.
Be Prepared
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Have an emergency kit that includes your passports, birth abroad certificates for children born overseas, cash in the local currency, a card with local translations of basic terms, and an electrical current converter. If you have pets, be sure to have their vaccination records.
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If you take medication, make sure to have at least five days’ worth at any given time – if you can, we encourage enough for two weeks beyond your scheduled trip and have a copy of your prescriptions handy.
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If you use assistive or medical devices that require a power supply, be sure to find backup power or other ways that will sustain your device or equipment during a power outage.
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Make sure your passport is ready for use. Most countries require that it be valid for at least six months after the end of your trip and that it has two or more blank pages.
Be Connected
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Keep a list of your emergency contacts handy and create a communication plan for reaching family and friends in the event of a crisis.
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Phone lines are usually affected during a crisis. Think about other ways to communicate. For example, update your social media status often and send messages as regularly as possible to let friends and family know how you are doing.
