Safety Overseas A Spokane Workshop Teaches Travelers How To Stay Out Of Danger In Foreign Countries

In a current American Express commercial, a woman in London is seen making a frantic call to local police.

“You don’t understand: All my money was in that purse. No, I didn’t get the name of the cab driver.”

She’s crying and sounds badly shaken. She, of course, has been robbed.

Sure, the woman is an actor. But the commercial illustrates a scene re-enacted in real life thousands of times every year — the unsuspecting tourist or business traveler victimized overseas.

And yet, many of those situations could have been prevented, according to travel security expert Frank Wysocki. There are things you can do, he says, to avoid being a victim, and if robbed, or worse, to mitigate the impact.

In a workshop at Eastern Washington University’s Riverpoint campus July 22-23, Wysocki taught a class of 25 students and international business employees techniques for maximizing their safety while traveling abroad.

A Navy SEAL for 30 years, Wysocki is intimately familiar with the risks of international travel. He’s been to the most dangerous spots in the world on secret missions that he could tell you about, but then he’d have to kill you.

He’s taught SEALS about travel security his entire career. For the last six years, however, Wysocki has teamed with Eastern recreation professor Paul Green to teach U.S. Customs agents a course about safety abroad. The recent EWU workshop, Survival Strategies for the International Traveler, is a stripped-down version for civilians.

Wysocki notes that international traveling is for the most part a safe and enjoyable experience in economically and politically stable countries. Much of Europe is as secure as the United States. The lessons Wysocki teachers are designed to prepare travelers planning to visit less secure lands, although they could be applied anywhere.

“Most times things won’t happen,” he told the class. “But when they do happen, they happen quickly, and you need to be prepared,” he said.

And to do that, you have to put some forethought into organizing each stage of the trip, he said.

Once you know where you’re going, the first step is pre-travel intelligence. Learn about the destination through a travel agency, travel books or AAA. An excellent resource on the World Wide Web that Wysocki recommends is the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs home page at http://travel.state.gov.

The Bureau of Consular Affairs issues passports, advises embassies about issues related to U.S. citizens abroad and otherwise helps American travelers. On its Web page, the bureau posts information on overseas services, safety tips and document requirements.

Particularly germane are the bureau’s consular information sheets, travel warnings and announcements. The information sheets, available on every country, are detailed reports that describe a country’s current entry requirements, crime trends, medical facilities, driving information and customs regulations. The warnings and announcements explain the most current threats and country developments. It’s like having your own intelligence service.

For example, a quick check on Colombia reveals that the bureau issued a notice Jan. 28 warning Americans against traveling there.

“More than a dozen U.S. citizens were kidnapped in Colombia in 1999. … In some cases the victims have been murdered,” the warning says. So Colombia’s probably not a good place to vacation right now.

Be mindful of how current the information is, Wysocki warns, particularly when it’s word-of-mouth. A friend’s experience in a certain country, for instance, may not reflect dramatic changes in the political climate, he said.

While gathering your information, Wysocki suggests asking about current events, crime, terrorism, health considerations and local customs. For an on-site report, you could also call the country’s U.S. embassy. The information you’ve amassed will help you decide what precautions to take, or even whether taking the trip is worth the risks, Wysocki says.

The next step is devising emergency plans. It’s important to think ahead and imagine what you would do if presented with a crisis. For instance, if you were accidentally separated from friends or family, where would you meet?

Wysocki tells a story about a man traveling in Europe with his wife who lost her when she made it on a train and he didn’t. Trying to track her down became a comedy of errors that took them all day to work out.

Having a pre-established rendezvous point or “safe area,” such as a police station, U.S. military base or hospital, could save travelers time and trouble.

Making arrangements for personal affairs at home is critical even if your trip is short, Wysocki said. If you end up stuck in the country longer than you expected, who will pay your bills, water your plants or check your mail? The idea is that you are hoping for the best but preparing for the worst, like losing your identification, being arrested or even kidnapped.

Having a power of attorney granted to a trusted friend or family member would increase your peace of mind under traumatic and stressful circumstances, Wysocki said.

Once in the country, your best friend is going to be the U.S. Embassy, Wysocki said. The United States maintains embassies in most countries with which it has diplomatic relations.

He suggests registering there immediately. The embassy can issue you a new passport, help find medical service, contact relatives if you find yourself destitute or even return the body of a relative who has died in the country. It will not, however, give or lend money, serve as a travel agency, give free medical aid, hold mail or provide free legal representation. If you’re in jail, the embassy will not post bail, but someone there will help you make a phone call. The embassy staff will be in a better position to help you if it is aware you are in the country.

Your safety and well-being while on foreign soil can be greatly increased by being alert and cautious.

“Enjoy your trip,” he said. “Just keep your eyes open.”

Unfortunately, it’s a fact of today’s global political climate that Americans are considered good marks in many countries for theft, mugging and even kidnapping, Wysocki said.

`In Colombia, they’ll kill you for $15,” he said.

One way to spot trouble is to learn how terrorists and other criminals stage attacks. In Wysocki’s special forces parlance, it’s called their method of engagement.

The first step in any abduction or mugging, Wysocki said, is selecting the victim.

“Think, `Does what I’m wearing make me stand out. Does how I’m behaving make me stand out?”’ he said. Keeping a low profile will help you avoid being a target.

Abductors will follow you and try to identify what Wysocki called “a choke point,” an area where escape routes are limited, such as an alley, elevator or stairs. About 80 percent of attacks happen at choke points near or at the victim’s hotel or home, Wysocki said, because people always have to go home.

A good strategy to adopt, he said, is to remain constantly alert and aware of your surroundings. If you feel that you are being followed, find one of your safe places or at least stay in a crowded area. Most attacks happen on calm streets.

Theft is common, too, especially in poor countries where some criminals make their living off travelers.

“These people wake up in the morning and wonder how they can get your luggage,” he said. Passports, credit cards and even just a credit card’s number are highly sought after, he said.

“When you travel, assume that your credit cards have been compromised,” he said. “Check your bills as soon as you get home or even before you get back,” by having friends or family inspect credit card statements as they come in the mail.

Wysocki said he doesn’t want to scare people away from international travel, but rather make them aware of hazards and therefore take precautions.

“Remember, when traveling abroad, only you are responsible for your safety and security,” he said.

This sidebar appeared with the story: SECURITY SUGGESTIONS Tips for international travelers

When you pack, imagine that valuables could be stolen or your luggage lost, and leave behind anything that you couldn’t bear to lose.

Always keep medicine subscriptions in their original containers and have the prescription your doctor wrote on hand.

Leave copies of your itinerary, credit cards, passport and insurance policies in your home office, where family or friends could find them in case of crisis.

Try to book nonstop flights, because airports are a weak link in security. Don’t confuse nonstop with direct flights, which may have stops.

Studies have shown that window seats in the rear of the plane are safer during crashes and terrorist attacks.

Use airlines in good financial standing.

Among international airlines, El Al Israel Airlines has a reputation for excellent security standards.

Always keep plane tickets and passport on your person.

After arriving, check in with the U.S. embassy. Staff will be in a better position to help you if the embassy knows you are in the country.

Purchase small amounts of cash at a time. Think about keeping money in a money belt, as pickpockets usually steal wallets and purses.

Ask your hotel or travel agency to recommend a reliable taxi service.

Book hotel rooms between the second and sixth floors. You’re high enough to be safe from the ground but still low enough for evacuation in case of fire.

Keep receipts for everything you buy.

Bring extra pictures in case you need to get a new passport.

If arrested, cooperate but insist politely and repeatedly on talking to a consular office representative.

Enjoy your trip but stay alert.