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Group-Think Mentality When Fear Strikes – 5 Tips for Staying Safe in a Terror Attack

September 23, 2016October 24, 2016PurepointInternationalLeave a comment

Group-Think Mentality When Fear Strikes – 5 Tips for Staying Safe in a Terror Attack

Two explosions erupted fear in the New York City area on Saturday. The first one took place Saturday morning near a Marine Corps charity run in New Jersey; no injuries were reported. The second explosion took place that evening in Chelsea injuring 29 people.

Even New Yorkers, who seem to be immune to much of what is going on around them, had an eerie feeling. As an NYPD Counterterrorism Officer said to me in July, “It’s been a while since there has been an incident in New York City and we are due.” Living in New York City, for me as a transplant, it’s hard to not travel to populated sites or well-known areas like Grand Central Terminal or Penn Station and not think about a potential terrorist attack.

The truth is we do live in a different world than 20 years ago and as we recently marked the fifteen-year anniversary of 9/11 there is no doubt that that incident was a clear demarcation of the America we live in now and the America I spent my pre-teen years. September 11th prompted the war in Iraq, which contributed to creation of the world that we live in today, where people are comfortable canceling vacations to Europe for fears of a terrorist attack or fallout from the war in Syria. Though the two explosions on Saturday were not related to international terrorism, it was a terrorist incident with the intent to cause harm.

Shalini Vadhera-Potts, successful bestselling author of Passport to Beauty and founder of Passport to Beauty and Power Beauty Living, traveled to NYC for New York Fashion Week. On Thursday, when a man with a clever attacked several NYPD officers she was in the area. She described the streets being blocked and the pandemonium of people pushing and shoving each other to watch. Then there was the select group of people that literally stopped, pulled out their cell phones and started taking pictures. In the midst of the sirens, yellow tape, and the growing crowd, she didn’t know what was going on. Should she continue to her destination? Immediately leave the area? Was it kidnapping? Terrorist attack? Shooting? “Its New York,” she said, “Anything can happen at any time and any place in New York City.” The events on Saturday were an example of that.

Mrs. Vadhera-Potts, is an experienced global traveler, spent a good portion of her younger years growing up in East Africa, and lived a number of years in New York City. To say the least, she is comfortable with traveling solo. What shook her most about the incident on Thursday was the responses of people around her. With people, not sure of what occurred, pushing their way through the crowd to take pictures made it more difficult for her to find an exit off the street to a safer area. With the socially-tech culture we live in of posts “going viral”, instant fame, and instant gratification from social media likes, we are experiencing a new version of the group-think mentality that bends to the longing of social desires.

If you find yourself in the middle of an emergency here are a few tips to keep in mind. Now don’t get me wrong. I am fully aware we get most of our news on social media and that may even be the best way to alert the police and others of an incident. The Facebook Live shootings, most notably that of Philando Castile, has definitely proven that. However, in a crowd, it could be a group-think mentality that could cause more harm than the actual incident.

Remember to pay attention to your surroundings: We are all guilty of texting while walking, talking on our phones, and playing games in busy areas, but ultimately we are all responsible for our safety. That means we all have to actively participate in noticing what is going on around us. In some instances, avoiding large crowds altogether is a good thing to do if traveling internationally.

Don’t be a tourist of life: When we see a bag left unattended in a busy place, it’s easy to think, “Oh, I am sure the owner is nearby.” If you ignore a potential threat other people may too. If you see something odd, report it to the police.

If you see or hear sirens think: Is there something I should know at the moment? Should I consider moving away from this area? One should not have an expectation to know what is going on in the heat of a crisis as it is progressing. Law enforcement, in many cases, are just putting the pieces together. Nonetheless, finding an exit is important. Just ignoring the sirens, or stopping to take pictures could result in unintended harm.

Sometimes it is not best to follow the crowd: If you are in an emergency situation and you are focused on getting out of the area, that sounds like a reasonable thing to do. If people are hanging around to find out what happened or to take pictures, navigate your way through the crowd until you are out of harm’s way.

Live life: Have fun, travel, see the world, explore, be adventurous! A car accident, freak accident, or a fall, could happen at any time. Generally, don’t let the fear of something happening keep you from living your life to the fullest.

Summer Travel for Executive Women: 8 Safety Tips for Women When Traveling Alone Internationally

May 31, 2016August 4, 2016PurepointInternationalLeave a comment

Summer Travel for Executive Women: 8 Safety Tips for Women When Traveling Alone Internationally

I recently attended a wonderful event that was eye opening regarding the safety and security of journalists, particularly female journalists, when they are in Syria, Egypt and other hostile areas. Travelling alone to anywhere, however poses risks that everyone should be aware of especially as a woman traveling alone. Whether it business or pleasure, or business and pleasure, there are some precautions we should always take when traveling alone.

Traveling today in the digital age is scary. Odds are, if we are traveling in congested areas, like airports or malls, it is safe to assume we are on camera most of the time. Similarly, with large companies falling victim to cyber-attacks it’s easy to wonder if someone is tracking our footprint online and how we as individuals can protect ourselves from personal attacks physically and digitally.

Over the years I have completed research, interviewing people, learning about their experiences when traveling internationally. Here are some practical tips for anyone traveling overseas, or domestically, can adopt to help stay safe when in an unfamiliar area.

Prevention basics– This is what I call the basics. These are things we all know we should do, we even tell our friends, daughters and other loved ones to do it, but we don’t always do it ourselves.

Tell someone if you are going for a night out alone and plan ahead. It could be a simple text or email to a friend telling her where you are going. Doing something is better than nothing.
Put away the bling – no dangling jewelry especially is areas where people are known to remove it from your body in a robbery especially important for earrings (research “crime” for the area in which you are traveling). Traveling internationally can be a great time to blend in with the locals. Even when purchasing a high end bag, like Chanel, its best to get a bag without logo print vs a plain solid color bag.
Do your research – have there been recent attacks on women, people of color, or LGBTI individuals where you are traveling. Even places we may generally deem safe could have flare ups of attacks or tensions.
Pay attention to weather and health alerts for a particular area. Currently the Zika virus is affecting international travelers. Zika, is a mosquito borne virus that causes neurological birth disorder. There is no vaccine for the Zika virus, which is disporptionately affecting the Latin American region. This mainly affects pregnant women, so if you are planning a trip to central or South America, especially Brazil or Columbia, it is recommended that you do not travel if you are pregnant. Male or female if you travel it is recommended you use a form of contraception for 2-4 week upon your return. Check the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control, for the latest updates and most affected areas globally.
Have a purse with a zipper to prevent pickpockets. Purses with multiple compartments is what I always prefer.
Don’t tell people you are alone. I travelled to the Virgin Islands for vacation by myself for a week. Everywhere I went people asked me if I was alone. This was, of course, because they kept seeing me alone. To keep the conversation friendly, I would say “no” or say “I just left my friends,” or “I am meeting my friends now.” It’s always great to make friendly conversation with the locals, or others you meet while traveling, but they don’ certainly don’t need to you are traveling alone.

Be confident: Though this could easily be part of the prevention basics section, I thought it was worthy of standing alone. Projecting confident while traveling is very important for anyone traveling alone. This includes not spending too much time looking at maps while walking down the street, making the occasional eye contact with people and not being afraid to ask someone to backup if they get to close to you. This includes sitting alone at a hotel bar or eating dinner alone. Final advice here, trust your instinct. Every satiation is different.
Travel in groups: Even if this means acting like you are part of a larger group. This doesn’t to pertain to every situation, but can be very helpful, if you are in an area where you feel uncomfortable. Or you decide to go to a park, museum, or shopping alone. The perception you are with others may lower the risk of you being a target by someone who intends harm.
Understand being an American can make you a target: This is important if you are traveling to a part of the world with political or social unrest, or with cultural sensitivities to westerners in general. Avoid large gathering of people, and make a to blend in as much as possible with local customs/clothing. I was talking to a woman who visited Abu Dabai and while doing some sightseeing, she was surprised she could not enter a holy place with a skirt on. These are the customs we want to respect. I suggest doing research before the trip.
Hotel security:

When checking into a hotel, take out your ID but don’t say your name out loud. This will reduce the possibly of another guest, in hearing distance, from hearing your name. Someone with malicious intent could try to access your room at a later time.
I know people that have had IPADs and other things taken from their room. Most hotels insure up to $1,000; confirm with your hotel their dollar amount. I recommend using safes in the room, or, if necessary, the main hotel safe.

Cell phones: I recommend satellite phones when traveling to a place you know has challenging communications. Meaning access to the internet is challenging if other communications are challenging as a result of the country infrastructure.
Laptops and Wi-Fi: if using personal email – Google is best other than that use VPN for business. If traveling to China don’t taken your regular laptop, but a rented or temporary laptop.
Insurance: People don’t always think of cyber liability, but in today’s world it is definitely necessary. It’s possible if you are traveling for business your already have insurance. If that the case, great! Learn what exactly you are covered for health and bodily harm, company property such as laptops. What about your personal loss of luggage?

Jessica Robinson is an International Safety & Security Adviser and speaker and frequently publishes on the topic. To learn more about her work and company please visit www.the-purepoint.com.

The Biggest Travel Week of the Year: Top 7 Ways to Stay Safe While Traveling in Midst of Terror Threats

December 8, 2015March 23, 2016PurepointInternationalLeave a comment

The Biggest Travel Week of the Year: Top 7 Ways to Stay Safe While Traveling in Midst of Terror Threats

Holiday travel is already under way as Americans prepare to gather with family and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving. At a time where people are preparing to rest, feel contentment, and be safe, there is a looming cloud of uncertainty that hangs over the holiday season, leaving people to ask the question whether it is safe to travel, how to travel, and what to do if a violent attack occurs.

The Russian Metrojet Flight 9268, exploded over Egypt killing 224 Russians two weeks ago. Russian and U.S. Intelligence now support ISIS as the perpetrator. Friday, a hotel in Mali was under siege killing 21 people and 170 people were taken hostage. Al-Qaeda has claimed responsibility. Last week two Air France planes, in the United States, received terror threats causing them both to make emergency landings. A Spirit Airlines flight, out of Florida, also received a threat forcing the plane to return to the airport minutes after departure. A Turkish Airlines flight was also diverted to Canada because of a bomb threat.

As an International Safety & Security Advisor, I have completed a lot of research on international travel, including polls and focus groups, to learn what is most important to people, when traveling. I am often asked for advice as someone is preparing for an international trip. Here are some practical key learnings anyone traveling this holiday season can adopt to help stay safe when in familiar, or unfamiliar, locations. The goal is always prevention; here are tips for traveling during the holidays domestically or internationally:

Be prepared for delays at the airport: As you may know, this is the busiest time off the year to travel in the U.S. Expect longer wait times, random baggage checks, hand swipes when going through security and expanded screening on airplanes traveling to the U.S.
Arrive early to airports: If you are reading this article, I know your priority is to be safe. Arrive 2 hours early, or earlier, when flying internationally. Be prepared for unexpected delays. With lower oil prices, 25M people are expected to fly on U.S airlines, 3% more than last year.
Be aware of your surroundings: Pay attention to your environment. Do you see an unattended bag? Are your bags with you at all times? Don’t get so caught up in a conversation, reading, etc, that if someone took your wallet off the table, or brushed against you, you wouldn’t notice. Alert law enforcement when appropriate.
Travel in groups when outside the U.S.: This may seem very basic, but when traveling alone it can be very noticeable to others. When in line at a store have “small talk” with the person next to you. It’s a great way to learn the local area, meet new people, and to learn about the culture.
Are you traveling alone?: If someone you don’t know asks you if you are traveling alone always say “no.” State you are “meeting someone” or “waiting for a friend”. This is especially important for women. I did this while vacationing by myself in the U.S. Virgin Islands and it was very helpful. I was amazed how often I was asked if I was alone.
Understand being an American can make you a target: Not always, of course, but this is a fact that can’t be escaped. It is part of the politics of today’s world. It’s nothing to be ashamed of and it’s nothing to fear; taking precautions are important. Review the U.S. State Department warnings for the country in which you are traveling. Use sound judgment, avoids large crowds of unknown origins, minimize your profile when in public, and always have a cell phone. Yes, if traveling out of the country this is tricky because perhaps you don’t plan on taking your phone to avoid accruing international charges. You can always change your phone plan for the duration of your trip, or purchase a temporary phone prior your trip or when you arrive to the country.
Be aware of daily changing threat alerts: Know what’s happening each day. Despite threats to NYC and Washington DC, the threat alert has not been elevated. The government of France just voted to keep the country as a state of emergency, and in Belgium, the government raised the terror alerts in the Brussels area. The elevation, or de-escalation, of threat levels could change at any moment. Make a point to know what is going on each day while you are traveling.

Despite the fluid, and constantly evolving, environment we are living in today, I encourage you to travel, have fun, and continue to experience cultures this holiday season!

Jessica Robinson, is a writer and Founder & CEO of PurePoint International. She has worked with a top 40 company and with the 2015 US Open. As a security & risk management expert and outsourced CSO (Chief Security Officer), she advises and consults with small and medium sized businesses on threat prevention and response. Learn more at www.the-purepoint.com.

6 Practical Safety & Security Tips When Traveling Alone Internationally

December 8, 2014July 2, 2015PurepointInternationalLeave a comment

As an International Safety & Security Advisor, I have completed a lot of research on international travel, including polls and focus groups to learn what is most important to people, especially women when traveling. I am often asked for advice as someone is preparing for an international trip. Here are some practical key learnings anyone traveling overseas can adopt to help stay safe when in an unfamiliar area. Remember the goal is always prevention!

1. Be aware of your surroundings: Paying attention to your environment, not texting and walking (yes!), or walking and looking at a map (looking like a tourist or a target). Don’t get so caught up in a conversation, reading, etc, that if someone took your wallet off the table, or brushed against you, you wouldn’t notice. Choose well-lit area, populated areas, and be careful of deserted areas or ridiculously loud areas.

2. Travel in groups: This may seem very basic, but when traveling alone it can be very noticeable to others. When in line at a store have “small talk” with the person next to you. It’s a great way to learn the local area, meet new people and to learn about the culture. If someone you don’t know asks you if you are traveling alone always say “no.” State you are “meeting someone” or “waiting for a friend”. This is especially important for women. I did this while vacationing by myself in the US Virgin Islands and it was very helpful. I was amazed how often I was asked if I was alone.

3. Intuition: You know that feeling you get when you know you should make a left instead of a right? How about when you think there is someone behind you yet you don’t hear anything? Yes, that’s your intuition, your inner knowing or reasoning that causes you to take a specific action. Pay attention to it while traveling alone. In many cases, it will help steer you out of a challenging situation.

4. Visa: Always make sure your visa is updated and that you have all the necessary information via the US Embassy to not violate country entrance or exit laws. If your visa is going to expire before you leave the country you are residing in, let the local embassy or consulate know as soon as possible so they can help you resolve concern with the host country.

5. Understand being an American can make you a target: Not always, of course, but this is a fact that can’t be escaped. It is part of the politics of today’s world. It’s nothing to be ashamed of and it’s nothing to fear; taking precautions are important. Review the US State Department warnings for the country in which you are traveling. Use sound judgment, avoids large crowds of unknown origins, minimize your profile when in public, and always have a cell phone. Yes, this is tricky because perhaps you don’t plan on taking your phone to avoid accruing international charges. You can always change your phone plan for the duration of your trip, or purchase a temporary phone prior your trip or when you arrive to the country.

6. Have insurance: About 30% of Americans travelers get travel insurance. Insurance is just that – a very important backup plan in case something BAD happens. General reasons to get insurance are if your flight gets cancelled, your passport or wallet is stolen and you need money (or emergency plan), natural disaster, you are involved in an accident, you can to cancel your trip because of an illness, or you have a medical emergency while traveling. In the digital, post 9/11 world, I could go on and on.

Jessica Robinson is an International Safety & Security Advisor for PurePoint International and speaker and frequently publishes on the topic. To learn more about her work and company please visit www.the-purepoint.com.
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