Traveling and in Trouble

During our August 2023 Topic Focus, our Damsel Safety Educators informed many members inside and outside their community about the many benefits of knowing where your exit signs are in a building in the event of an emergency. We in the Damsel Home Office also believe the same goes for traveling. In the event of an emergency, do you know where to go or who to turn to? Can you get back to your temporary home from anywhere in the town you are in or do you at least know the street address? Do you know where the nearest U.S. Embassy is and what constitutes an emergency? If the answer to any of these questions is no, then may we suggest you begin learning some information that may save you or your travel partner’s life.

Let us begin with what constitutes an emergency worthy of contacting a foreign nation’s emergency services or the nearest U.S. Embassy. In the heat of the moment, you may be more inclined to dial the country’s emergency number; however, maybe it is better to call the Embassy first. Some third world countries have overly corrupt emergency services that demand bribes and could result in more harm than good being done. We always recommend researching the country you are visiting and look into recent travel blogs about the county to learn as much about the emergency services as possible. This is the most surefire way to be prepared in the event of an emergency. If you are traveling with a group from an organization, we also highly recommend gaining a better understanding of their procedures when an emergency occurs so you can follow suit in the most productive manner. An emergency can look like any of the following:

• Passport or ID stolen/lost
• Kidnapping
• Robbery 
• Death 
• Arrest 
• Natural Disasters 

So what do I do if there is an emergency and the nation’s emergency services are not an option? In a life threatening emergency, we still recommend dialing 112 in a European country or calling the verified safe equivalent of 911 which you can find on the link listed at the bottom of this post. In some third world countries, you are able to visit your nearest U.S. Embassy in a health emergency as some have doctors on site. As always, remember to double check before traveling!  We highly recommend memorizing the address of your closest Embassy and where it is in reference to your temporary residence in the event you need to get there quickly and without a local’s assistance. We have included a list of the most popular countries to travel to and their U.S. Embassy locations for your convenience. If you do not see the country you are traveling to on the list, we recommend visiting the link at the bottom of this post for more options. 

911 Equivalent Abroad 

What Can the Embassy Do? 

In the event of a health emergency, the United States Embassy can help locate appropriate medical services, inform your family and friends with permission, and help transfer funds overseas. Should a natural disaster or attack happen, the Embassy can assist in transportation out of the country. More information on the proper procedures can be found here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/emergencies/for-evacuated-citizens.html. 

The Embassy can also assist in lost or stolen passports, assist victims of crime by providing the resources needed, assist in locating potential missing persons, help in emergency financial assistance, and help U.S. Citizens in forced marriage situations as well as much much more. We also highly recommend registering for the STEP Traveler’s Program, which is a free service that allows for U.S. Citizens living or traveling abroad receive security updates as well as allow for the nearest Embassy to contact you in the event of an emergency. You can learn more about the Program here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/before-you-go/step.html. 

Looking for protection products to go overseas? Check out our Pepper Sprays on Planes or Alternatives on Airlines blog posts or contact a Damsel Safety Educator here today!