travel Tag

Parking Lots and Personal Security – 15 Key Tips to Keep You Safe

27 September in Personal Safety, Travel Safety

A Normal Day Gone Bad and Never to Be Forgotten The day was September 30, 1991 and I was working as an FBI Special Agent in Houston, Texas, when I heard the news through local law enforcement sources that an eyewitness reported a woman, returning to her parked car just outside a local mall, was forced into her van and abducted by two unidentified males. The abduction occurred sometime around 7:30pm that evening. The torched van was later recovered by law enforcement and inside was the...

Run, Hide and Fortify®: A Recommended Approach for Businesses

27 September in Business Continuity Planning, Corporate Security, Crisis Response, Personal Safety, Security Consulting, Travel Safety, Workplace Violence

John Farrar, our guest blogger this month, brings us the final article in the Run, Hide and Fortify® series. This article concentrates on businesses pre-planning for the worst-case scenarios - A recommended approach for Businesses. Businesses that take steps to prepare for the types of incidents discussed in Article I and II of this series, will find a carry over to improvements in their overall functioning to other types of events and increased business resiliency. People would be surprised to know how many...

3 Important Tips for Safe Holiday Shopping

27 September in Personal Safety, Travel Safety

With the Holiday Season in full swing, spirits are high, mall parking lots are full, and the streets are congested with shoppers inching their way to retail stores to find that perfect gift. Even with the vast onset of online shoppers, there still exists those incredibly tenacious folks who love to brave the elements, the traffic, and the pushing and shoving that goes with the exhilaration of the holiday retail shopping experience. While shoppers focus on the season, big bargains and discounts - the criminal element...

Kidnap Avoidance – Move off the X

27 September in Personal Safety, Travel Safety

Never underestimate the value of introducing an element of randomness to your behavior when traveling in high-risk environments.  Examples of high-risk environments include countries at war or neighboring the war, politically charged foreign cities or countries, cities or countries nationally and internationally known for active drug cartels, drug trafficking, human trafficking etc. Kidnapping is a crime that requires forethought, planning, and surveillance.  Kidnappers typically follow a set sequence, from considering the level of difficulty in identifying a potentially valuable target, to determining when that target is...

Five Key Components of an Effective Corporate Travel Security Program

27 September in Business Continuity Planning, Corporate Security, Crisis Response, Personal Safety, Travel Safety

Policy:  Effective travel program development begins with a well-written policy that clearly establishes how your employees travel on business.  It should include what class of fares can be purchased and whether direct routing can be booked—in lieu of cheaper fares available with connecting flights.  Your policy should address the needs of international travelers allowing for improved class on long flights over a clearly defined length.  The class of hotels must be included, describing the level of service permitted that is booked on business travel. The...

Vehicular Safety Tips In Mexico—for High Level Protectees and Vacationers

27 September in Corporate Security, Personal Safety, Travel Safety

12 Safety Tips to Note Travel to certain regions of Mexico is risky– even with a full-blown protection detail. Whether you are traveling to Mexico for vacation or business, with or without protection, here are a few critical safety tips that might help prevent an attack or help you avoid catastrophe under attack. Do not rent or utilize cars with running boards or luggage racks. These are holding straps for would-be attackers. Running boards allow them to stand alongside the vehicle and hang on to...