SECURITY experts and federal agencies offer unsurprising advice about safety measures you can take when traveling to areas where you may be at risk: be vigilant, avoid crowds, keep a low profile. But much of it comes down to using common sense. The Association of Corporate Travel Executives is recommending that travelers going to areas where their safety might be compromised put together a kit with four essential items — a flashlight with an LED bulb for illumination or to signal for help; a hand-held water purifier in case the water isn't potable; a portable radio; and a cellphone or a Blackberry with international service. Susan Gurley, the association's executive director, said business travel managers plan to re-evaluate their hotel contracts with an emphasis on guest security. New contracts are expected to require hotels, among other things, to train their staffs to evacuate the building efficiently; to provide detailed floor charts to security officials, the police and firefighters; and to have a surveillance system and secondary methods of communication like a public address system to inform guests of issues. Some hotels already have such safety measures. Marriott, for example, implemented a crisis management plan 15 years ago and has analysts who assess security conditions daily. If a threat exists at a hotel, it is prescribed a color-coded alert, which signals specific security countermeasures. But a cautious guest could “ask for a room above the second and below the seventh floors,” said Ralph Witherspoon, a security consultant from Cleveland. “Criminals and terrorists can easily access most ground-floor rooms, and most fire department ladders won't reach above the seventh floor.” Travelers can also look for the nearest exits. “Count the doors between your room and the nearest exit,” recommends the State Department. “This could be a lifesaver if you have to crawl through a smoke-filled corridor.” Security experts suggest loading into your cellphone emergency numbers like those for the local United States embassy, your tour operator or your hotel, and letting at least two people at work or at home know where you are going. While every situation is different, said Damon Brenner, a senior manager of global services at Control Risks, a consulting company, “if you do the little things,” like knowing where the nearest fire exits to your room are, “it will help mitigate the potential risk of being caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.” - New York Times For information on conditions abroad that may affect safety, travelers can consult the US State Department reports at www.travel.state.gov. __
