Travellers' Security

In light of the recent events that took place especially the Mumbai incident, many travellers realise that they should not take their safety for granted. Many are not prepared and go overseas armed with nothing more than their own vigilance. If an emergency were to crop up, they would not have any travel advisory number to call.

The death of Singaporean lawyer, Ms Lo Hwei Yen who was taken hostage in the Oberoi Trident Hotel and eventually killed, puts into sharp focus that terrorism knows no bounds and can happen anywhere, anytime. Nobody is immune from dangerous situations.

The mindset of regular travellers is to just pack & travel. They do not take any security measures and few have any clue of the emergency numbers to contact should an emergency arise. At most, many will try to avoid going to countries with a recent crisis or which are considered highly volatile.

Here is an excerpt from The Sunday Times, 7 Dec 2008...

How To Stay Safe

What can Singaporeans who live overseas, or who travel frequently, do to ensure they are well-protected during a crisis?

Before Leaving Singapore

* Sign up with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) or embassy to ensure MFA officials can contact family members, next of kin or insurance companies should the need arise.

You can submit personal details at the MFA consular homepage at http://www.mfa.gov.sg/internet/eregister/eregister.html. All information will be kept confidential.

You can also submit details in person, by fax, or by mail, to the ministry's consular directorate here before going abroad, or the mission in the country you visit.

If that country does not have a Singapore mission, you can call the MFA's One Call Centre on (65) 6379-8000.

* Carry out sufficient research on the country you are going to, and monitor and assess the inherent risks.

* Get travel and medical insurance

* Get contact numbers for the embassies and collect all consular information

* Keep next of kin posted on your itinerary with contact numbers so that they know where and how to reach you

* Pack a separate emergency pack to carry at all times. Essential items include your passport, contact numbers of next of kin, some money and a credit card

* Avoid staying in American-owned hotel chains which are potential terrorist targets.

When You Are There And Are Caught In A Crisis Or Trouble Spot

* Duck for cover within the first minute of the blast or attack and avoid being spotted by captors. Don't just rush off in any direction. Force yourself to stop and understand the scenario. To ensure you are not hit by a blast, seek cover behind anything that is about 20cm to 30cm thick

* Get far away from "ground zero" - you should not be text-messaging or calling anyone at this time

* After taking cover in a relatively safer place that is further away from the trouble spot, seek help from a security company. Travel Security Services, for instance, operates 26 "alarm centres" worldwide. Officers can provide you with information and assistance 24 hours a day

* Go to the nearest Singapore mission or embassy for help, or turn to the local police or authorities