Emergency plan for travelers
An emergency plan for travelers includes precautionary measures in order to exclude avoidable damage during a trip and to keep the extent and effects of damage actually occurring as low as possible for those affected. The emergency plan is used for personal safety while traveling and facilitates assistance regardless of time and location, which can be life-saving under certain circumstances.
Purpose of an emergency plan
For travelers there is an increased risk of getting into an emergency situation. The fact that the person concerned is far away from home regularly causes additional problems in troubleshooting the disruption. An emergency abroad can place increased demands on those affected, their travel companions or confidants at home in order to be able to provide help quickly and appropriately. Appropriate precautionary measures can be incorporated into travel preparations in the form of an emergency plan for travelers and, in turn, constitute an important part of any travel checklist that may be available. The aim is to have important personal documents and information in spite of theft or loss, and to ensure that someone you trust can act on behalf of the person concerned if they are unable to act.
Emergency situation
The most serious emergency poses a threat to the life and limb of the person concerned. This does not only include medical emergencies. There is also an evident risk situation in the case of kidnapping or kidnapping by terrorists or criminals and missing persons. Arrest or pre-trial detention in a foreign legal system represent an emergency for those affected and their caregivers alike. Blackmail, theft or loss of passport, money, credit cards, luggage, etc. are other events that unexpectedly bring travelers into emergency situations and pose major problems.
Particular problems arise if the person concerned is unable to act, for example as a result of hospitalization or arrest in a foreign country. If the travel partners are not related to each other, they can be denied access to the sick bed or the mere contact by hospitals or authorities.
For self-employed persons it may be appropriate to deposit appropriate powers of attorney with their bank or a lawyer / notary in the event of an unforeseen absence or incapacity to act and to leave appropriate instructions to ensure the continuation of business.
Data acquisition
A wide variety of media are used by travelers to collect data on the go. Computers , the Internet , cell phones , digital data storage devices , but also analog processes such as photocopies, address books, detailed travel programs, etc. are used by travelers to prepare for the most likely emergency situations. Obtaining information by means of these media is - with the exception of data transmission from the Internet - only possible as long as those concerned can physically dispose of it. Theft, loss and incapacity of the person concerned preclude data collection. In view of the global spread of Internet access, preference is given to a data information source via the Internet. However, it is an indispensable requirement that personal data can only be accessed via secure Internet access (secure data server and secure data transmission with an encryption protocol ).
Increased security risk
Naturally, all travelers expose themselves to a certain risk in terms of unforeseeable emergency situations. However, an increased personal safety risk to wear special groups such as business , employees of non-profit organizations or non-governmental , volunteer and passengers in, explorers, solo travelers, adventure travelers, not related travel companions, travelers in the fields of trekking , low-budget, etc. Also abroad students and students as well as those on business or vacation purposes place increased demands on forward-looking emergency planning.
Elements of the emergency plan
A traveler contingency plan should include at least the following precautionary measures (the list is summary and not exhaustive):
Determine the person you trust
One (or more) confidants must be appointed who is ready to support the traveler in an emergency. Confidants and relatives of the travelers should have mutual contact details. Travel partners should exchange the contact details of their confidants and relatives.
Informing the person of trust
The travel route and changes during the trip, schedule, whereabouts, contacts on site, time of contact with the person of trust etc. must be communicated to the person of trust.
Create personal travel documentation
The personal travel documentation must contain all important information: addresses, telephone numbers, copies of the most important travel documents (e.g. passport , visa ), emergency number for the credit card office, medical information (e.g. medication , blood type ), etc. Travelers or patients with chronic illnesses should contact the have the most important emergency treatment measures certified by your doctor.
Ideally, the travel documentation should be created with scanned documents and made available on data carriers and / or on the Internet (only if secure servers and encrypted data transmission are available). Important: do not take any secret numbers or PIN codes in the documentation with you on your trip, as losing them could result in abuse!
Complete travel documentation is to be handed over to the person of trust and possibly to the travel partner.
Power of attorney for emergencies
If the person concerned is unable to act, the person of trust or travel companion needs a corresponding power of attorney for an emergency. An emergency power of attorney is to be issued at home as part of the travel preparations and may only be given to persons of trust who have complete confidence . The validity of the power of attorney is to be limited to the duration of the travel-related absence. In case of doubt, a lawyer or notary must be consulted to formulate a power of attorney . When traveling outside of the German-speaking area, a power of attorney must be drawn up in English. The emergency power of attorney forms part of the personal travel documentation.
Translation and certification of important documents
Copies of important documents can be officially certified before departure to ensure that they are accepted by the authorities. In international travel, it is advisable to draft or translate all important documents (e.g. medical information, emergency power of attorney) in English.