Being Safe and Secure While Traveling and What to Do If You Get Sick

In today’s global marketplace, more people are traveling to countries around the world for both business and leisure reasons.  It is important to be aware of security and personal health issues while abroad.

For individuals far from home, having a security blanket against severe illness is important.

Individuals with American Express’s Platinum Card have a service that provides evacuation to a hospital near the cardholder’s home if the on-the-ground physician recommends such action.  The service covers all family members who are traveling with the cardholder.  Transportation must have been purchased on the Platinum Card in order for the coverage to be effective.

For companies that are offering seminars or holding meetings, it is important to think through all the issues that can affect the safety and security of the guests. 

According to Michael Kelly, President & CEO of On Call International, “security and the health and welfare of your clients can no longer be left up to the venue or local authorities, although both are integral to holding a successful meeting.   Today, it is mandatory that before booking a facility, that you physically assess the site to ensure safety, security and success.”

Kelly has identified a list of questions that should be asked before booking a facility:

• What is the make-up of the venue? Size, capacity, age, design, lighting, etc?
  
  
• What’s the local environment like? Crime? Neighborhood, resort, beach or industrial? How far from a police station?  Are the police adequate for normal response?  If international, where are the embassies and consulates?  Is the venue easily accessible?  What about available transportation venues?  Have traffic patterns been addressed?
  
  
• What physical measures of security are in place?  What is the staffing and how do they operate -- by monitoring cameras, physical patrols or both?   Is security 24/7 and are security personnel trained and available for emergencies?
  
  
• Have background checks been done on the security staff, hotel staff and its vendors?
  
  
• What is the physical condition of the premises? Doors working, locks, fences, gates, lighting, cameras, etc.?
  
  
• Is there a written security plan or disaster preparedness plan in place and when was it last revised?
  
  
• If there is a fire, where is the nearest fire department and what is its response time? 
  
  
• What is the venue’s capability to control the fire and evacuate guests?
  
  
• When was the fire control system last tested and when was the evacuation plan last updated?

Kelly also believes that companies should be certain that they have a plan in place in case there are any medical or healthcare emergencies.  Among the questions that need to be answered include:

• How far is it to the nearest hospital?
  
  
• Does it have a trauma center?
  
  
• What is the response time in case of a medical emergency?
  
  
• What kind of ambulance service is available?
  
  
• If abroad, are the doctors trained in the United States or are Western-trained?
  
  
• In case a security or medical evacuation is necessary, how far away is the nearest airport and how long will it take to get there?
  
  
• Can you pre-arrange transportation, in case of an emergency situation?

Both personal travelers and businesses can choose to pre-arrange transportation through a service, such as Air Ambulance Card, LLC - www.airambulancecard.com. This membership program provides Prepaid Air Medical Services™ to its members, anywhere in the world and at anytime. This service is similar to an auto club but instead of sending a truck to tow a car, they send a medical airplane to move a patient from one hospital to another.

The plan includes:

• Transport Services While Traveling: If a member is hospitalized as an inpatient due to an illness or injury while traveling more than 150 miles from home, whether domestically or internationally, Air Ambulance Card will provide the person with air medical transportation, medical evacuation, and repatriation services to the hospital of his/her choice.
  
  
• Transport Services to Specialty Hospitals: If a member is hospitalized as an inpatient in their hometown hospital and requires admission to a specialty hospital located more than 150 miles away, and is are unable to travel without continuous medical care, Air Ambulance Card will provide air medical transportation. The receiving physician and our Medical Director must agree that the transport to the specialty facility is medically necessary.
  
  
• Medical Monitoring and Consultation: When Air Ambulance Card is notified that a member has been hospitalized while traveling, their Medical Director will communicate with the attending physician and will continue to monitor the patient’s condition. If requested, they will communicate with family members during transport or until the medical condition is resolved.
  
  
• Transport of Mortal Remains: If a member dies while traveling internationally, they will arrange and pay for all necessary government authorization, provide a container appropriate for airline transport, and return the remains to the member's place of residence.

The plan is available to an individual for $195 per year or a family for $295 per year. Regarding any restrictions of similar programs compared to Air Ambulance Card, Sam Jackson, president, says, "Read the fine print, A lot of credit card and travel insurance policies contain medical necessity or "nearest appropriate facility" clauses. We don't have that. We will move you back home."

Travelers should also check the security warnings issued by the U.S. government before choosing a travel location.  These warnings, and other helpful information, such as about passports, embassy locations, and more for international travel can be found at http://travel.state.gov/index.html

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