Tips for Survival or Emangency on a Family Vacation

Preparing for a family vacation can be quite exhausting. It is important to teach your family vital survival tips for emergency situations, especially while on a vacation far from home.

Vacation plans decrease the possibility of being victims of criminals, reduce stress and wasted resources.

Tourists are often targeted for their naivety; they easily get lost, are distracted and have to move about town with valuables.

Wondering what important steps you can take to keep your loved ones safe while on the road?  

Here are some suggestions for keeping you and your family safe when planning your next holiday trip.

Research your destination

Before you visit a new city or country, run a search on the internet about the latest happenings at your intended destination. For illustration let's assume you are visiting Accra, Ghana;

Using a search engine like Google, search for general Accra news. You can also search for specific with terms like “your country” Embassy in Ghana, Accra weather, Hotels near Accra Airport, Accra riots, Accra health risks and Accra crime.

You can also make use of location review websites like tripadvisor to read the experience of other tourists and visitors.
This gives you an idea of where you are going, what to expect and how to plan emergencies.

Contacting your Embassy

If you are visiting a volatile country, it is always advisable to contact your embassy. When traveling with loved ones it is important not to take chances.
Take time out to register at the embassy, some embassies keep you informed of possible threats. They also provide you with adequate aid if thing go awry and may help you return home safely.

Keep tabs on the local news

Tourists often make the mistake of watching only satellite TV when on vacation. That’s great, however if you want to feel the pulse of your immediate locality, the local TV channel should be your main source of news.
Use social media sites and Google alerts to set up notifications about activities in your area.

Prep the kids

Most parents have the safety of their children as the main priority. With children you might need to tick out a little to do list like the one below.

• When visiting crowded sites always remember to dress the children in bright colored clothing so they can easily be spotted.
• Leave your business card in their pockets; you could instruct them to approach a policeman with that card if such a scenario occurs.
• Have them memorize the address of your hotel room and phone number
• Take a quick photo of the kids. If you lost your child in a crowded place, you could easily report it to the authorities with a visual on what the child looks like.
• Show them how to dial the police number and follow evacuation.

Be ready with the little things

This checklist is for the grownups, the mommies, daddies or chaperone.

• Ensure that your kids and spouse have their phones fully charged at all times. Invest in portable power banks (mobile chargers) to make this possible.
• Travel as light as possible, a heavy luggage slows you down and makes you vulnerable to robbers
• Avoid displaying cameras, expensive jewelry, gadgets and other valuable thing.
• While searching for a site or accommodation, choose hotels in well-lit areas and avoid deserted streets.