Susan's Tip Corner
International Safety and Security Tips
November 29th, 2008
Written and Compiled by:
Captain Jeff Beck (A Savvy International Pilot)
& Susan C. Friedenberg
The world has just witnessed terrorism at its worst. There were several commercial airline crews from Air France, Delta and Northwest Airlines in Mumbai, India at the Oberi / Trident Hotels as well as The Taj Hotel. As international corporate flight attendants anything can happen in any part of the world. Here are some important tips to keep you aware, cognizant and safe globally. This article can be shared with people that you know that are leaving the USA or the country that they live in. You can never practice / implement safety standards enough or be aware enough!
1. Have advance information of the type of vehicle and license plate number of the Limo / Van that picks up your passengers and you the crew to ensure they and you are in fact, getting into the right one.
Crew transport should be arranged / provided by the handler. For those times when the handler uses a taxi outside of the terminal, ensure he is using one of their trusted and bonded taxis / drivers.
2. Avoid public transportation of any kind if possible. Keep Alert !!!!
3. Upon checking into the hotel, get two business cards or matchbooks with the hotel name, telephone number and address on them. Place one by the phone in the room so you know where you are and keep the other on your person when you leave so you know where to come back to. (Especially in countries where the language is not written in English. Russian - Arabic - Hebrew - Japanese - Chinese - Greek, etc. ) Or if you are in a country where you don't speak the language, you can simply show a taxi driver the matchbook, and you're on your way back to the hotel.
4. Keep your Passport with you at all times. Photo copy 2 extra color copies of the face page and any Visa pages that are applicable to the country that you are in. Have it notarized. It is now a legal document in the event that it is stolen or you lose it. This is not in lieu of your passport but will allow you to get back into the US when you have reported it missing. The only time that you should relinquish it is in some countries that require, by law, you to leave your Passport at the desk when registering. But don't transfer control if you can avoid it. Frequently the color copies will suffice. If you need to leave the Passport, then get it back as soon as you can. Remember, your Passport is your most valuable possession when out on the road. Report Passport theft to your Embassy immediately, and initiate the procedure to obtain a new Passport.
5. Note where the nearest fire stairwells are located. Make a mental note which direction you must turn and approximately how many steps there are to the closest fire stairwell. In the event of a fire, there is frequently dense smoke and no lighting (similar to the environment we experience during aircraft evacuation training)
It is not such a bad idea to invest in a disposal smoke hood to keep by your bedside in the hotel.
(Google ASE30 Smoke Hood to find where to get them - Amazon has them for $69 USD) If you do not have a PBE device with you, keep a very wet wash cloth by your bed so you can cover your face and leave the room in the event of dense smoke or actually, any smoke!
6. At night, make sure to lay out your clothes, jacket, and have your Passport and wallet in or near your shoes, so in the event of an emergency evacuation, you can be up, dressed, have your valuables, and on the way out in just a few moments. Complacency Kills! Keep Alert !!!!
7. Don't drop your guard or assume that a hotel is going to provide the level of security you think it should. Be responsible for yourself and your crew mates. When checking into a hotel, do not "announce" your room number to the others. Write it down on a piece of paper and give it to the other crew members. Keep your eyes on your luggage at all times when checking into a hotel.
8. Learn at least a few phrases in the local language (Please & Thank you).
Dress to blend in with the foreign environment - don't wear logo clothing identifying you as a westerner. Don't have American flags pasted on your luggage or flight bags or CREW TAGS. (I've seen endless commercial airline crews do this)
9. Leave behind expensive jewelry, watches, and clothing that marks you as a wealthy foreigner. Not only does this mark you, it makes it harder to get good deals when shopping. :) Do not pay with large bills or count your currency in public.
10. Before you leave the country of your origin, make sure that you have looked up the address and the telephone number of your own Embassy and have 2 copies of that, one with you at all times when leaving the hotel and one by the bed.
11. Carry the phone numbers of emergency contacts - e.g. your handler, the hotel, and diplomatic representation in that city / country. Before leaving the US or your country of origin, look up the address and telephone number of your Embassy. Make copies of it and keep one by the bed and one in your wallet.
If you are an American, and you are traveling to a country that does not have a US Embassy, in the event of a coup d'e'tat / revolution or terrorist attack as we most unfortunately have just seen, you can go to a US friendly country's Embassy, (Great Britain, Canada, Mexico, etc.) and they will take you in. Look up their info prior to leaving the US.
12. Go through your luggage to remove items that are not needed or which pose a security risk, such as:
Excess credit cards, Membership - or ID - cards for any group that may be targeted. Business cards with provocative information or revealing national, ethnic or religious affiliations. Political, religious or sexually explicit literature. Make sure that your medications are in their respective LABELED bottles with your name on it. You could be arrested for carrying your pills (vitamins) all mixed up.
13. When leaving your hotel room, put the TV on in the language of the country that you are in. A news station or a sports station. Keep the DO NOT DISTURB sign on the door whether you are in, or out of the room. Use a taxi service arranged by the hotel's concierge, handler, or restaurant, and avoid flagging one down from the street.
14. Take a minimum of cash, enough for that outing. Keep credit cards and money in different pockets. (NOTE - If you use your front pockets, it is harder for pickpockets to hit you, as opposed to your back pockets) Possibly carry "bait money" for potential thieves.
15. Wear minimum jewelry, especially women. Women, wear only a simple wedding band in lieu of a diamond ring. Remember in some foreign cities and even some area within the United States, a diamond ring might be worth what a criminal might earn in a year. Remove the temptation!
16. In restaurants and clubs try not to sit real close to the entry, and if possible face the entry when seated.
17. In a criminal attack, give up your belongings willingly and do not argue. Report the crime immediately to local police authorities. In certain countries check your Embassy before contacting the police.
If someone with a weapon approaches and corners you, remember your life is at stake and one wrong move could be your last. Plan ahead how you will react and remember to think rationally. It is no different then being in an aircraft emergency!
18. Kidnap / Hostage Situations - Do not behave in any way to make yourself stand out; avoid threatening movements and do not stare. Do exactly as you are told and do nothing without asking permission first.
Remain alert and prepared in the event of a rescue attempt or escalation of violence. If you are singled out for questioning, your answers must be consistent with the documentation you are carrying. Volunteer no additional information. Remain courteous but dignified. If there is a rescue attempt stay as close to the ground as possible and DO NOT try to be a hero.
19. If there is a State of Emergency (coup d'Ètat, revolution, social unrest, etc.) contact your local Embassy and get there ASAP. Call or have someone contact the Embassy with your location to facilitate your evacuation if needed. Stay off the streets, remain in your hotel, and if necessary move only in groups. Avoid main squares and boulevards, government buildings, radio / TV stations, military installations, the airport, harbors, banks and shopping centers. All are key targets during take-overs or coups.
20. Do not discuss your personal opinion about the political situation. Have the hotel management or Embassy update you on any new developments. Make sure that your lap top is plugged in and has its power. You can hide under the bed and use it for contacting the "outside" for information and to communicate.
21. Natural Disaster - Have a pre-established plan with your colleagues and passengers for where to go in the event of a disaster; that plan should include going immediately to your local diplomatic representation or the Red Cross to report yourself alive. (Note: the symbol for the Red Cross in some Islamic countries is a red crescent in place of the Red Cross.) Contact your home to save your family worry. Also stay in touch with your handler for information on current events. Make sure your handler knows which hotels the passengers are staying if you as the crew are not at the same hotel. In the event of a natural disaster, do not use the elevator. It could lose it's power when you are in it, hence, you are stuck in an elevator! Take the stairs.
22. Always have some food in the room with you as well as bottled water. You never know when you could be trapped in the room for an extended amount of time.
This paper is copywrited.
Susan C. Friedenberg
Corporate Flight Attendant Training & Services
Philadelphia, PA USA 2006
more tips:
International Safety and Security Tips : November 29th, 2008
The Transition From Commercial To Corporate Aviation
Things To Consider Prior To Hiring A Contract Or Full Time Flight Attendant
The "Elegant" Fast Continental Breakfast
Starting Out In Business Aviation Appropriate Questions To Ask