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Did you know that most people don’t have the supplies they need on hand in the event of an emergency? And when people go on trips, the last thing they are thinking about is emergency preparedness. But, when you travel like I do, it’s important to be prepared for when things go awry. This includes anything from hurricane prep, to medical needs. When you go out of town, you don’t have your home available for storage, so it’s important to think about the most critical needs you might have depending on your destination.
Get Travel Insurance
Going on new adventures is a lot of fun. But depending on the activity you’re engaging in, it can also be dangerous. If you’re into extreme sports or risky escapades, you’re more likely to get injured. Travel insurance is a must. Not only should you have trip interruption insurance to cover the cost of your hotel and airfare should you need to go home sooner, you also need to have travel medical insurance. Not all health insurance plans provide coverage out of the country or out of state. A travel medical insurance plan can ensure you get the care you need for a price you can afford.
Water Purification
No matter where you travel, an emergency can strike. It could be a natural disaster, weather, or any other type of emergency. In this case, you’ll want to have a way to get clean water. There are small water bottle style purification filters, and there are purification tablets that can easily fit in your suitcase. When you travel, you may not be able to get the supplies you need, and it’s important to always have clean water.
Stay Warm
As we saw earlier this year in the south, even the warmest places can get hit with cooler weather. This means that when you travel, you need a way to stay warm. Emergency blankets are a good thing to always carry with you. They can help you stay warm indoors and out, and they are pocket-sized when they fold up. You might also want to stay dry and a rain poncho can help with that. Having matches and a small candle can be useful as well.
Bring Medical Supplies
If you take medication, bring extra on your trip. Even though you only plan to be gone a week, it’s important to take at least an extra week’s worth of meds with you. This helps in the event your plane gets delayed heading home, if you get stuck due to an emergency like an erupting volcano, or if there is a weather event like a hurricane that causes a delay. You might also want a small first aid kit with other common medications and an antibiotic in case pharmacies are closed or get overwhelmed.
Have an Exit Plan
Nothing works better than having a plan. If you go on an international trip, you need to make sure you have an extra copy of your passport and your flight information on hand. You also need to give someone back home a copy as well. If you lose your passport or need to leave it at the hotel, this can be critical to help you get out of a country in an emergency. You’ll also want to know where your nearest embassy is located as well as emergency routes out of the town or city you’re staying in. If you can’t get out due to a storm, you’ll need to make sure you know what to do during a hurricane, where to find emergency shelters, etc.
Carry Some Cash
In an emergency, it will be nearly impossible to get cash. If you have paper money on hand, you can more easily get services than with a debit or credit card. Drivers are more willing to bargain with you for cash than they would for a card payment. Additionally, cash can help when the electricity goes down and no one can accept card payments.
Learn Important Phrases
If you’re traveling to a foreign country, learn some lingo to help you communicate what you need. If you need a hospital, it’s critical to know how to ask where the hospital is in the local language. You’ll want to learn some basic numbers so you can bargain in the language as well. This can go a long way in helping you get what you need. People are more willing to help if they can understand how to help.
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