Preparing for Emergencies Abroad
In an emergency, always contact the local authorities and study abroad staff at your overseas site first. Why? Because they are in the best position to provide you assistance quickly. Do not call your family or the Purdue Study Abroad Office first - while we all certainly want to help you, we are thousands of miles away and cannot show up quickly to take you to the hospital, call the police, or provide other assistance. Of course, once initial help has been received and you are in a safe place, then contact your family, and if necessary, Purdue.
The best thing to do is to prepare for emergencies before you are in an emergency situation. While you can never predict exactly what may happen or how you can react, knowing what to do and who you can call in an emergency will help you know what to do if something does happen.
Plan ahead how you will handle emergencies and have the local emergency contact information handy at all times, including the emergency number or equivalent of 911 in your country, police, fire, and on-site staff emergency phone numbers. Take a few minutes to ensure you know this information, and program it into your phone. You may also want to keep a card with this information in your wallet or bag, in case you become separated from your phone.
How will you contact family at home if there is an emergency? Do they have the required travel documents to get to you, should they need to? Family members may also want to consider ensuring they have valid passports, just in case.
Click here to access Purdue's Emergency Contact Page.
Preparing for Emergencies At Home
While many students think about what to do if they find themselves in an emergency while overseas, it is also important to speak with your family before you leave about how you will want to handle any emergencies or family situations that may come up at home while you are gone.
As with any unexpected situation, having some plans in place ahead of time can make the situation a bit less stressful in the moment. Should a family emergency occur, decide now what steps should be taken. In what circumstances would you want to return home? How do you want to be notified? If you need to return home, what steps would you need to take? If you do not return home, what ways can you lend emotional support while you remain overseas? What resources may be available to you to help you process while abroad? If an emergency occurs, you should also notify on-site staff so they can help support you, answer questions, and inform you of any resources that may be helpful to you.
Of course, many of these things are dependent on what has happened and when it occurs - if you find yourself in any situation where needing to leave your program may become necessary, it is important to notify Purdue Study Abroad and your on-site program staff right away. We can help make sure you have all the information you need to make an informed decision, as well as help you understand any consequences for academics, finances, or grades.
Personal Emergency Action Plan
Knowing the answers to the questions found below can be a good first step in helping to keep yourself safer in an emergency by creating a personal EAP. If you need help drawing a map, finding escape routes or writing emergency preparedness directions/steps, consider asking yourself the following series of questions. You should really try to include answers to all of these questions in your personal EAP.
This resource was developed by the USC Center for Global Education's Safety Abroad First - Educational Travel Information (SAFETI) Clearinghouse Project, Gary Rhodes, Ph.D., Director
Know Where You Go
Where should you go first in an emergency, and what method of transportation will you use to get there?
Be aware of all your emergency transportation options. Know the numbers for the following:
Know Your Emergency Contact Information
In addition to your personal emergency contacts, we also recommend you look up/ask for the numbers for the following individuals and agencies nearest to your study abroad and/or travel location(s):
Who will you call first, second, third, etc. in an emergency?
Do your emergency contacts have each others' phone numbers so they can communicate and relay information about you to each other?
What are some alternate ways of communicating with your emergency contacts?
The following are some communication options you may have available:
- Cell Phone/Text
- Satellite Phone
- Email/Internet
- Post Office/Express Mail Service
- Wire Service
- Fax
Who would you like those assisting you to contact in the event of your illness, injury, incarceration, kidnapping, etc.?
Do all of your emergency contacts know what your wishes are in the event of your serious injury or death?
Where does your nearest emergency contact live, and how fast can you get to him/her?
Back-Up Plan/Special Conditions
If the situation does not permit you to follow the original emergency plan, what is the back-up plan (Plan B)?
Are there any other special conditions to consider which are unique to your situation (i.e. weather conditions/hazards in your region of study/travel, a personal physical handicap, poor public transportation or phone service in your area, etc.)?
Emergency Kit/Money
Which items do you still need to add to your emergency first aid kit before it is fully stocked and ready?
Do you have emergency cash reserves, travelers' checks, credit cards, etc. on-hand, in case you can't count on banks/ATMs, or get to a bank/ATM?
Using the emergency supplies and reserve money you have set aside, for how many days would you be able to sustain yourself, and what would you use each day?