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Prior to departure, please take time to review the Basic Fundamentals of Personal Security.
- Ask for help. BYU has an International Security Analyst, Landes Holbrook who can
help you with pre-departure security information, general and specific country briefings,
consultation, coordination with security and government officials, and emergency help in a
crisis. He can also be contacted in the event of an emergency or for security consulting and
advice. He can be contacted during working hours (8 - 5, MST) at 801-422-4302, 422-
3378, 422-3377, or after-hours at 801-369-0430.
The University Police at 801-422-2222 and the BYU Operator at 801-422-1211 can also
assist you in making contact with Landes or with other BYU back-up security personnel
and administration. You can also contact Landes via e-mail at landes_holbrook@byu.edu or at international_security@byu.edu.
For additional security and health information and links, visit the David M. Kennedy
Center's Web site, http://kennedy.byu.edu, and click on "Security and Health."
- Register with the U.S. Embassy online and be familiar with the information on the U.S.
Department of State Consular Information Sheet for the country of your destination.
The U.S. Department of State Web site www.travel.state.gov provides a wealth of helpful
information for you as an international traveler, such as security, health, emergency,
and travel information. Register with the U.S. Department of State before you depart or
shortly after you arrive (https://travelregistration.state.gov/ibrs/). Once you are registered,
the U.S. Embassy in the country of your destination will update you via e-mail with any
pertinent security, health, and current event information that could affect you. If you are
not a U.S. citizen, please contact your nearest embassy or consulate to tell them about
your presence in the country. Take note of the U.S. Embassy address and phone numbers
and carry them with you at all times in the event of an emergency.
In addition, the U.S. Department of State issues Consular Information Sheets for every
country of the world with information on such matters as health conditions, crime, unusual
currency or entry requirements, any areas of instability, and the location of the nearest U.S.
embassy or consulate. Read and become familiar with the Consular Information Sheets
for your destination.
U.S. consular duty personnel are available for emergency assistance 24 hours a day, 7
days a week, at embassies, consulates, and consular agencies overseas and in Washington,
D.C. Contact information for U.S. embassies, consulates, and consular agencies in country
of destination is on the U.S. Department of State Web site at http://www.state.gov under
"Embassies and Consulates," or on the Consular Information Sheets for each particular
country. U.S. embassies and consulates have 24-hour emergency service.
You can also get current information on worldwide cautions, public announcements, and
travel warnings, up-to-date information on security, and help in the event of a security
incident by calling the U.S. Department of State Office of Overseas Citizens Services in
Washington D.C. In the U.S. you can reach the office toll-free at 1-888-407-4747 or on
a regular toll line at 202-647-5225. Outside of the U.S. and Canada, call a regular toll
line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern
Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
- Review the International SOS Web site and the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention Web site for specific information on immunizations, health risks, medical
care, and emergency procedures.
BYU has partnered with International SOS, the world's largest medical and security
assistance company. International SOS offers you free 24-7 emergency medical
consultation and referral to pre-screened doctors and medical facilities around the world.
After approval from the Church, International SOS will guarantee payment to assure that
services are rendered promptly in an emergency situation and will arrange for medical
evacuation if necessary. You and your insurance coverage will be responsible for the
cost of any services rendered. International SOS will also consult with travelers about
managing personal security and will solicit help from local security support.
On the International SOS Web site www.internationalsos.com, you will find current
health, security, local contact, cultural, and other important travel information. Click
the Members Login and enter the BYU account Code 11BCPA000127. For medical and
security consultation and emergencies, you can call International SOS toll-free at one of
their worldwide regional alarm centers: Philadelphia: 1-215-245-4707; London 44-20-
8762-8008; Singapore 65-6338-7800.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site http://www.cdc.gov/travel/ offers
select health travel information by country destination. This information includes
vaccinations, diseases, recent outbreaks, safe food and water, what to do in the event of an
illness or injury abroad, advice for parents when traveling with children, etc.
- Take time to familiarize yourself with local police, fire, and medical emergency
numbers as well as your in-country contacts. Make a list that contains these and
other key contact numbers, namely the U.S. embassy, the State Department,
International SOS, BYU International Security Analyst, BYU Campus Police,
department internship coordinator, and the LDS Church Security emergency
number using the Emergency Directory at the end of this section.
The LDS Church has two 24-hour emergency phone numbers, 801-240-2771, and 801-
240-2661. They will assist you in the event of an international emergency and conference
with Landes and other BYU personnel, U.S. embassies and local authorities to assist you.
Basic Fundamentals of Personal Security
Pre-departure Preparation
Passports, Personal Identification, and Contact Information
- Photocopy the ID page and any visa stamps in your passport. Take the original and
copies with you, stored in separate locations.
- If your passport is lost or stolen while traveling, the embassy or consulate representing
your country often replaces it the same day if you have a photocopy of the passport
information page or other proof of citizenship. Without duplicate documentation, it
may take several days to obtain a new passport.
- Take your driver's license with you. In most places you need a driver's license to rent a
car, and it should be sufficient to obtain driving authorization.
- Record the numbers of your credit cards, traveler's checks, and passport, and take this
information with you. Keep these numbers separate from your original card(s) and documents.
Also, leave a copy of the numbers with a member of your family or a friend at home.
- Carry the following telephone numbers with you at all times:
- The embassy or consulate representing your country.
- Your credit cards and traveler's checks companies.
- Local contacts including police
Personal Health and Vaccinations
- If you take prescription medication, vitamins, and/or food supplements, carry the items in their original containers. Do not combine these items into a single container, such as a plastic bag, in an attempt to conserve space.
- Take copies of all written prescriptions. Ask your physician for clearly written and
easily readable forms.
- Be sure your immunizations are current and your international vaccination certificate is
up-to-date. Take your international vaccination certificate with you.
- Become familiar with potential food and water health risks peculiar to your destination.
If a risk exists:
- Drink only bottled water or bottled soft drinks.
- Do not use ice cubes.
- Use purified water when brushing your teeth.
- Eat fish or meat only if it is well cooked and served steaming hot.
- Eat vegetables only if they are fully cooked.
- Eat only thick-skinned fruit that you have peeled yourself.
- Remember to wash your hands frequently, especially before you eat or handle food.
Packing
- Take a rubber or wooden wedge with you to place under apartment or hotel room doors
as an additional security measure.
- If you will be traveling by train in a high-risk area, take a three-foot piece of average
gauge electrical extension cord with you as an additional measure to secure train
compartment doors.
- If you plan to check your luggage onto the airplane, take a carry-on bag, which will
hold personal belongings you do not wish to be without, or which might be difficult to
replace upon your arrival. Such items might include prescription medications, personal
hygiene articles, underwear, or valuable objects such as laptop computers, cameras, and
other important personal items.
- Never travel with a laptop computer packed in its original carrying case. Laptop
computers are the most frequently stolen possessions. Always disguise the computer by
carrying it in another type of case.
- Wrap a strong nylon web, duct tape, leather belt, rope or cord, around all pieces of
luggage you plan to check in. Securing your luggage discourages baggage handlers from
targeting your bags for contents theft and also prevents accidental opening during transit.
- Do not write your full name and local address (if known) on luggage tags. Use your
initials and your stateside address or a BYU address instead. Criminals may obtain
home addresses from your luggage and subsequently target you later for burglary.
- Include your full name complete destination address inside all bags. Luggage tags are
sometimes inadvertently torn off during travel.
- Never transport packages for people you do not know well and trust completely.
- Arrange to be met at your destination.
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Transportation
Airports and Airlines
- Always be aware of your luggage. Position your luggage so that there is always
physical contact between it and your body. Routinely position your most important
piece of luggage between your legs. Do not allow anyone or anything to distract you.
- Be aware that some airport authorities may attempt to solicit bribes in order to perform
their official duties.
- Do not argue or become belligerent with airline, immigration, or customs officials.
- If you discover that the straps or tapes on your luggage have been broken or cut,
immediately check baggage contents and report any losses to airline officials. Keep a
copy of the Lost or Damaged Baggage Report.
- While using toilets, do not place purses, briefcases, or packages in front of you, lest
someone outside the stall reaches under the door to grab them.
- Positively identify the person meeting you at the airport. If you do not know the person
scheduled to meet you, prior to your departure establish the person's physical description
and what he or she will wear. You may suggest this person hold a sign with your name on
it. You should also describe yourself to him or her and arrange a specific meeting place.
Taxis
- If available, use hotel shuttles instead of taxis.
- Hire only officially registered taxis. Most drivers of unregistered taxis are honest;
however, in some nations "gypsy cabs" are dangerous and not worth the risk.
- If the taxi does not have a fare meter, negotiate the fare to your destination before
getting into the cab.
- Do not allow taxi drivers to put your luggage into the trunk until you have agreed upon
the fare.
- In some countries, it is possible and preferable to pay your fare at a taxi stand inside the
airport terminal. This ensures the taxi is registered and the fare is honest.
- Do not ride in a taxi that already carries a passenger whom you do not know.
- Before closing the doors of the taxi, make certain the inside door handles function
correctly in case you must exit quickly.
Automobile Passenger Safety
- If traveling in cold climates, include blankets in your travel supplies. Carry extra
potable water when traveling in remote areas with warm climates.
- Always lock car doors.
- Never leave objects of any kind lying visible in your car.
- When preparing to exit a vehicle, be certain that the area is safe before unlocking the
doors.
Cars and Carjacking
- A high percentage of carjackings occur near the home, office, or while departing or
arriving at common destinations. Watch for unusual activity or persons near your home or office when arriving or departing. Carjackings are often proceeded by surveillance. Watch out for out-of-place or occupied vehicles, vendors, or repetitive and unexplained foot traffic near your home. Report such circumstances to the police. If possible, have
someone other than the driver carry packages or briefcases to the vehicle.
- If possible, do not ride in cars that draw attention to the occupants, such as expensive, foreign models.
- If possible, do not ride in cars that display rental decals or other rental identification.
- Keep car doors locked and windows rolled up.
- Do not continually refer to a map. Study your route in advance and become as familiar with it as
possible. A traveler's vulnerability increases when he or she appears unsure of his or her whereabouts.
- Do not sit in a vehicle for long periods in high-risk areas, particularly after dark. Get to
your destination and get out of the car quickly.
- If you believe you are being followed, do not go home. Ask the driver to go to a police
station or safe public place.
- Be cautious around all accidents. Criminals intent on theft and assault often use bogus
accidents to stop vehicles.
- Do not resist if armed carjackers confront you. Avoid any quick movements that may be
interpreted as resistance. If you are confronted with force, let the attackers have the automobile.
Victims who resist may be injured or killed. Your life is worth much more than your vehicle.
Trains and Subways
- When traveling by train in a high-risk area, use all available locks on the compartment door and
a three-foot piece of electrical extension cord to further secure the compartment door at night.
- Do not stand in open doorways on moving trains. Do not prop open the doors of trains or subways.
- Seek and follow local advice concerning the use of public transportation at night.
- Be particularly cautious while riding public transportation and visiting tourist locations.
Sit at the front of the bus. A pickpocket's favorite place is wherever a crowd assembles.
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Currency/Money Exchange
- Be familiar with the current foreign exchange rate for your destination country.
- Do not accept offers from people on the streets to exchange money at rates lower than
the bank's exchange rates. It is an illegal practice in most countries, but in countries
where it is legal, exchanging money on the street can be very dangerous.
- Be aware of and scrupulously follow local currency regulations limiting the amount of
U.S. or local currency you can carry into or out of the country.
- Before approaching an ATM, consider the surrounding area. Look for loitering or
suspicious individuals and areas where assailants might be hidden. Try to use ATM
machines in secure areas such as malls, banks, etc. Know how much money you will
need and plan ahead. Avoid using an ATM after hours, on the street, and on weekends.
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Photography
Because travelers are often prodigious photographers, it is worth noting that photography
abroad is often subject to different rules than in the United States. Here are a few rules that, if
followed, will help you avoid incurring the attention of police or the ire of local residents.
- Be aware of photography restrictions and sensitivities. In many countries, it is illegal to photograph any government buildings, military installations, police stations, airports, or critical items of infrastructure such as bridges, power generating plants, water purification plants, hospitals, etc.
- Do not photograph women or other persons in public settings without their permission.
- Be cautious in accepting a stranger's offer to photograph you in front of a noted site.
This is a quick way to lose your camera.
- Be sensitive to local customs regarding taking exterior or interior photographs of
religious shrines or symbols.
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Ethnic and Religious Sensitivities
- Learn what is not acceptable behavior in your destination country.
- Understand and respect local etiquette and customs.
- It is especially important to understand local customs regarding women and children.
In many places, it is inappropriate for a single man to fraternize with a woman who is
not his relative. In many places, adults, particularly foreigners, who attempt to befriend
children are viewed with suspicion. Foreigners have been attacked and badly injured by
local residents for showing too much attention to an unattended child.
- Understand local customs and expectations specifically regarding women.
- Avoid discussing politics. Do not criticize the ruling government, even if it is nondemocratic
or has anti-U.S. policies. Do not engage in political debates concerning U.S. foreign policy.
- Show respect to religious or national shrines, symbols, and holidays.
- Do not criticize or belittle other religions. Learn and treat with respect the norms and
standards of the region's or nation's predominant religion.
- If you are a different race than the majority of the country where you are studying,
you will never blend in. As travelers live abroad, they may come to believe they are
invisible, i.e., they blend in. This is dangerous thinking. U.S. citizens will always stand
out in most third-world countries.
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Avoiding Petty Crime and Theft
Pickpockets
- Do not display wealth. Avoid wearing extravagant clothing, watches, and jewelry.
- Dress according to local customs. It is preferable to be recognized as a foreign national
than as a tourist.
- Walk with purpose and confidence. If you need to refer to a map, do so inside a building—not out on the sidewalk.
- Use money belts or pouches that go inside the trousers around the waist, inside the pantleg
around the calf, or under the shirt or blouse hanging by a cord from the neck; or use
pockets that close with buttons, Velcro strips, or zippers.
- Carry only the amount of money you need for the day; an amount that you can afford to
lose if you are pick pocketed.
- Disperse your money and credit cards in separate pockets or places within your
clothing. Use your pants back pockets to store only smaller currency bills.
- Fanny packs are very vulnerable to theft and should not be used. Fanny packs
immediately signal to any thief precisely where your valuables are located.
- Do not carry valuables in a backpack. In congested areas such as aboard public
transportation, carry your backpack on your front. If backpacks are necessary during
public transportation, carry it so that it is placed between you and your companion.
- Keep mobile and be aware of your surroundings. When mobility is limited,
vulnerability increases. Traveling with a companion can also lessen vulnerability.
- Stay in public view whenever possible. Be especially cautious while riding public
transportation and visiting tourist sites.
- Walk closer to buildings than to streets. Carry briefcases, purses, and packages on the
side of your body closest to the buildings.
- Avoid drawing attention to your wallet (do not pat it frequently). Whenever you are in
a crowded or congested area, put your wallet in one of your front pockets, leaving your
hand inside the pocket and on the wallet.
- Learn how local pickpockets operate and how to avoid becoming a victim.
Armed Robbery
- Never resist armed robbers.
- Reduce your visibility by speaking the local language, or remaining silent in public places.
- Carry only those valuables that you are prepared to lose. Carry a minimum amount of cash.
- Know which areas are unsafe. Know which areas of your location should not be visited
at night. Make no exceptions to the rule of not visiting dangerous locations.
Reacting to an Armed Robber
- If you are confronted by an armed assailant, do not resist, do not act belligerently, and do not
make eye contact. Readily comply with all demands. Nothing you are carrying is worth your life.
- Move and react slowly as you obey instructions. Tell the assailant what you are doing,
such as, "I'm reaching into my pocket for my wallet."
- If you reside in an area where mugging is common, carry a "throw-away" wallet
containing a few dollars and some fake or expired documents. Under no circumstances
pursue someone who has robbed you.
- Remember, a knife can be as deadly as a handgun.
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Women Travelers
- To decrease your vulnerability, travel with a companion.
- Dress modestly and avoid wearing extravagant clothing, watches, and jewelry. (All
jewelry, whether expensive or not, should be left at home.)
- Dress comfortably. Wear clothes that allow freedom of movement, such as free-flowing
skirts and low-heeled shoes.
- Carry purses with the strap over your shoulder and hold the bag close to your body. Do not drape
purse straps across your chest or around your neck as it can cause injury if you are attacked.
- Zippered purses can be further secured by pinning a safety pin over the top of the closed zipper.
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Kidnapping
In most of the world the risk of kidnapping is very low. Even where kidnapping for ransom
is more common, travelers are not generally viewed as potential targets. Nevertheless, the
following recommendations will not only reduce the risk of being targeted, but are good
suggestions to protect you from other types of crime.
- Become familiar with high-risk areas in your country and cities of residence and avoid them.
- Avoid predictability by varying your daily routes in routine travel such as from home to office.
- Vary your routines to avoid departing or arriving at the same time and, if possible, use
different modes of transportation each day.
- Do not disclose your schedule or itinerary to anyone you do not know or trust.
- Watch for anything unusual or out of place, such as unfamiliar occupied vehicles
frequently parked near your residence or office, workmen performing unscheduled work
in your neighborhood, or unexpected parcels delivered to your residence.
- Do not touch, move or shake suspicious packages, especially those not delivered by
public mail or other known delivery services. If you are in an area where bombings are
known to occur, immediately call for help.
- Be cautious when arriving or departing from your residence or office. These two
locations are where kidnappings most commonly occur.
- In most cases, do not resist during a kidnapping. The first few minutes are the most
critical.
- Control impulsive behavior to avoid injury. Save your strength for later. Prevent the loss
of valuable personal items such as eye glasses. Remain calm and keep your mind clear.
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Important Contacts for Students
When traveling for your internship, particularly with international travel, please carry this
information with you in your purse, wallet, or pocket.
BYU International Security Analyst
Landes Holbrook provides emergency contact and security consulting and advice. (801) 422-3377, (8-
5 pm, MST); (801) 369-0430 (after hours); international_security@byu.edu
BYU Police
(801) 422-2222
U.S. Embassies & Consulates
Contact information for all embassies and consulates may be found under "Embassies and Consulates"
at http://www.state.gov. Current information, warnings, security information, etc. may
be accessed at 1-888-407-4747 within the U.S. and Canada. Outside of the U.S. and Canada,
call 1-202-501-4444. Both lines are available from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm EST, Monday - Friday.
International SOS
www.internationalsos.com offers current health, security, local contact, cultural and other important
travel information. Click "Member's Login" and enter the BYU account code: 11BCPA000127.
For medical and security consultation and emergencies, call one of three worldwide alarm centers:
Philadelphia, 1-215-245-4707; London, 44-20-8762-8008; or Singapore, 65-6338-7800.
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
www.cdc.gov/travel/ offers select health travel information by country destination including
vaccinations, diseases, recent outbreaks, safe food and water, what to do in the event of an illness
or injury abroad, advice for parents when traveling with children, etc.
LDS Church
In the event of an international emergency, call 1-801-240-2771 or 1-801-240-2661.
Local Police/fire/medical emergengy
In-country contact
Department Internship Coordinator
Local Address and Phone Number
Business Address and Phone Number
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