Nobody with good news calls in the middle of the night. \uffa0As a father of college-age children, the late-night sound of the telephone ringing was chilling. \uffa0Our youngest son and about hundred or so of his closest friends from college had caught a spring break cruise ship ride from Florida to the Bahamas. \uffa0Before he left I talked to him about all of the \uff93be aware ofs.\uff92 \uffa0But he, of course, was 20 and far wiser in the world than his parents, so \uff93not to worry\uff92 was his reply. \uffa0He didn\uffb4t know that his world was about to turn upside down. <\/P><\/p>\n
Since Natalee Holloway disappeared nine months ago on a high school graduation trip to Aruba, personal safety on getaway trips has become a part of our national subconscious. \uffa0From Panama City, Florida, to Cancun, Mexico — 100,000 young Americans travel here every spring break\uff97and to points, ports, and beaches around the world, the risk to those seeking the sun-drenched 24\/7 \uff93party of all parties,\uff92 no matter what their age, are greater than ever. \uffa0A little common sense and preparation can save you from a world of hurt and pain, and can help insure that your trip to some hot beach is not the trip from hell.<\/P><\/p>\n
Consider these factors: <\/P><\/p>\n
1. \uffa0\uffa0Know where you\uffb4re going before you start. \uffa0Use the Internet to research the city, state, or country that you\uffb4re traveling to and know both the good and the bad about your destination. \uffa0Some countries consider the use of drugs or the abuse of alcohol to be a very serious offense, something that can get you thrown in jail for weeks if not years. \uffa0In other countries the authorities will try to set you up in a sting-like operation, but their purpose is to force you or your parents to pay a bribe to gain your release. \uffa0Other demands can also be made of you, demands you don\uffb4t even want to think about. \uffa0But whether you think of them or not, they are real, as is the threat to your personal safety. \uffa0And if another language is spoken at your location, learn a few phrases like \uff93I need the police\uff92 or \uff93I need a doctor\uff92 or just \uff93Help me.\uff92<\/P><\/p>\n
2. \uffa0\uffa0Insure that someone at home has all of your travel and contact information, including a copy of your passport, the front and back of your credit cards and identification cards, and information as to where you are staying and who you\uffb4ll be with. \uffa0If this data changes, find an Internet kiosk and send the new information along so that you can be found or helped should the need arise.<\/P><\/p>\n
3. \uffa0\uffa0Cell phones are great, but many won\uffb4t work outside the U.S. or need to be set up in advance of your travel. \uffa0Don\uffb4t assume that your phone has this capability. Call your cellular provider to arrange such service for the length of your trip.<\/P><\/p>\n
4. \uffa0\uffa0There is always safety in numbers. \uffa0Don\uffb4t travel alone and try to travel in threes. \uffa0Never leave your wingman is a lesson naval aviator Tom Cruise learned the hard way in Top Gun. \uffa0The idea of three is the hope that no matter how crazy you and the situation get, out of three friends, one can be counted on to be the voice of reason. \uffa0In a worst case scenario, one can run for help while the second stays and stands by the third. \uffa0Remember, you\uffb4re all in it together. You should always be within eyesight of each other. \uffa0And don\uffb4t accept any offer to leave with a person you\uffb4ve just met. \uffa0Think of Natalee Holloway\uffb4s last known ride. \uffa0<\/P><\/p>\n
5. \uffa0\uffa0Avoid using stairwells or elevators by yourself. \uffa0Don\uffb4t tell any \uff93new friend\uff92 where you are staying. \uffa0Put your valuables in the hotel\uffb4s safe, not under your pillow. \uffa0Remember not all \uff93taxis\uff92 are really taxis. \uffa0Insure that you\uffb4re taking a safe mode of travel every time you go out at night and don\uffb4t open your hotel door to strangers. \uffa0If the person knocking on your door says he\uffb4s with the hotel, call the front desk to check before you unlock your door.<\/P><\/p>\n
6. \uffa0\uffa0Drink only from sealed containers or get your drinks directly from the bartender. \uffa0And don\uffb4t leave your drink unattended \uff96 you don\uffb4t know what someone could put into it. \uffa0Date rape drugs are many and varied, with the most common being \uff93GHB\uff92 and \uff93Rohypnol,\uff92 the latter of which is also called circles, the forget me pill, La Rocha, lunch money drug, R-2, rib, roach-2, rope, robutal, roofies, rophies, row-shay, ruffles, and wolfies. \uffa0These drugs are used to facilitate rape because they make the assault easier. \uffa0This \uff93anesthesia\uff92 type of drug renders the victim physically incapacitated or helpless and unable to withhold consent to sexual activity. \uffa0Rohypnol is one of the drugs most commonly implicated in drug-facilitated rape. \uffa0It can mentally and physically paralyze an individual. \uffa0Effects of the drug are of particular concern in combination with alcohol and can lead to anterograde amnesia, where events that occurred during the time the drug was in effect are forgotten by the victim. \uffa0If your drink tastes or looks different than it should, e.g., salty, foamy, cloudy, or has some type of residue in it, just dump it. \uffa0<\/P><\/p>\n
7. \uffa0\uffa0Lastly, remember Spiderman. \uffa0Spidy had a sixth sense; he instinctively knew when trouble was around. \uffa0And so do you. \uffa0But we don\uffb4t always listen to that still, small voice within that says \uff93this could be trouble.\uff92 \uffa0If you think you\uffb4re being followed, go into a safe place and ask for assistance, and always look sober and look like you know where you are and what you\uffb4re doing. \uffa0You only need watch the predators in any vacation bar or on any \uff93booze cruise\uff92 that lurk just outside of your vision; they\uffb4re watching your every move. \uffa0Predators look for the lost, the weak, the vulnerable\uff97usually the inebriated. \uffa0You don\uffb4t want to look like a zebra or gazelle that\uffb4s separated and lost from her herd or be too forward toward strangers. \uffa0Your overture of friendship to some can be a sign of vulnerability to a predator, and they can be very cunning as they work ever so stealthily to cut you out of the herd. \uffa0You don\uffb4t need to be paranoid. \uffa0Just know your surroundings, your limitations, set boundaries, and stay with your wingmen. <\/P><\/p>\n
Hundreds of holidays, vacations, or breaks become nightmares because of behavior, accidents, alcohol, and drugs. \uffa0Almost 3,000 Americans are arrested overseas every year, many for possession of very small amounts of narcotics. \uffa0Accidents account for hundreds more victims, including drowning in pools and the ocean, automobile accidents, jet skis, and falls from buildings. \uffa0Many threats exist to any vacationer who doesn\uffb4t put his personal safety above his desire to party. \uffa0In parts of Mexico, for example, one can easily become the victim of robbery, rape, kidnapping, and murder \uff96 all of which are well documented. \uffa0Another little known safety issue in Mexico is the dozens of Americans who have fallen from the balconies of their hotels, this because many such balconies have rails that are only two or three feet tall (the U.S. standard is 42 inches). \uffa0Yet another issue is the lack of safety glass in hotel windows and sliding glass doors. \uffa0This accounted for our son\uffb4s call from Nassau. \uffa0\uff93Dad,\uff92 he said, \uff93we were wrestling around in the hotel room after a few drinks and my friend, while bouncing on the bed (and off the walls), fell through the sliding glass door onto the balcony.\uff92 \uffa0Evidently he just missed tumbling over the balcony (they were on the 6th floor), but the glass broke into large shards. \uffa0One big, knife-like piece cut his arm like a surgeon\uffb4s scalpel, and he was bleeding badly. \uffa0They wrapped a towel around the bleeding limb and caught a cab to the local hospital. \uffa0An hour later I got another call \uff96 Jon\uffb4s friend was in surgery. \uffa0\uff93I\uffb4ll call you back,\uff92 I said, \uff93but how do I find you?\uff92 \uffa0\uff93Dad,\uff92 he said with some frustration, \uff93we\uffb4re the only two white guys in the hospital \uff96 they\uffb4ll find us.\uff92<\/P><\/p>\n
Jon and his friend were on the next flight out of Nassau, and were met by my wife and his friend\uffb4s mother at Washington National airport. \uffa0His mother had already contacted a local surgeon, and they were soon getting a review of his injuries. \uffa0There was still glass in the wound that had been sewed up. \uffa0\uff93Another 12 hours or so,\uff92 the surgeon said, \uff93and he would have lost the use of his arm.\uff92 \uffa0Remember, if seriously injured; get home for medical aid as soon as you can. \uffa0Oh, and don\uffb4t drink so much that you fall through glass doors\uff85.<\/P><\/p>\n
As for our other two children, Jeff got deathly ill on bad food while on spring break. \uffa0And, while on a medical missions spring break trip to Haiti, our daughter Jenna had a local woman thrust a baby into her arms, begging Jenna to take the infant back to America as it would surely die in Haiti. \uffa0Challenges come in many forms, shapes, and sizes.<\/P><\/p>\n
Alcohol and injuries go hand in hand. \uffa0During spring breaks the average male reports consuming 18 alcoholic drinks per day and the average woman 10 such drinks per day. \uffa0One half of all men and 40% of all women drank until they became sick or passed out at least once. \uffa0If you\uffb4re drinking, don\uffb4t do it on an empty stomach and for guys, limit yourself to one drink per hour and for women, one drink per 1 \uffbd hours. \uffa0Nurse a Coke or two. \uffa0Don\uffb4t mix your drinks (e.g., beer and rum) and if you slur your words, walk funny, or feel sick, stop drinking. \uffa0You can\uffb4t drink yourself sober, but you can drink yourself into the hospital or worse. \uffa0Car accidents, alcohol intoxication, broken limbs, and date rapes are all the results of alcoholic abuse. \uffa0Alcohol is implicated in the three major causes of death among young people in America, including homicide, suicide, and accidents\uff97including alcohol poisoning. \uffa0<\/P><\/p>\n
Many see Spring Break as a time to blame their behavior on the booze, the music, or even the moon. \uffa0Your natural inhibitions may become fuzzy or even disappear when you believe that the party climate gives you an excuse not to be safe in all regards. \uffa0Sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise around the world. \uffa0In the U.S. alone, 5.5 million new cases of genital herpes, one of the major causes of cervical cancer, are identified every year. \uffa0Other types of sexually transmitted infections, to include AIDS, can result from just one unguarded night of fun under the sun. \uffa0Were you to be the victim of a sexual assault, do not expect a great amount of help from your hotel or local law enforcement in second and third world countries. \uffa0Hotels will be quick to suggest you immediately go home, this to preserve their \uff93reputation,\uff92 while local police may explain the long process that you must go through to identify and prosecute your assailant. \uffa0Their implied message to you is \uff93be glad you\uffb4re alive, count this as a learning experience, and pack up and go home.\uff92 \uffa0Case closed as far as they are concerned. \uffa0<\/P><\/p>\n
And the predators? \uffa0Well, they continue to prowl. \uffa0There\uffb4s always another plane landing with people just looking for fun, a continuing source of potential victims for such predators.<\/P><\/p>\n
Just like you know the amount of time that you can spend in the sun before you burn, you should recognize the pitfalls that await those who don\uffb4t know their own limitations, who don\uffb4t set boundaries, and who violate the rules of safe traveling. \uffa0No one wants to cramp your style and keep you from having a good time on break or vacation. \uffa0We just want you to come back safe and in one piece. \uffa0When you\uffb4re in an unfamiliar location and perhaps under the influence of something or someone, your chances of becoming a victim rise exponentially. \uffa0Be smart and be safe. \uffa0Good judgment and being responsible for yourself and your travel companions can help to insure that you get everything out of your vacation that you seek. \uffa0But nothing more.<\/P><\/p>\n
By Clint Van Zandt
\nMSNBC analyst & former FBI profiler<\/SMALL><\/P><\/p>\n
Email Clint at CVZ@msnbc.com
\nClint is a frequent contributor to The Abrams Report, Weeknights at 4 & 6 p.m. ET on MSNBC TV<\/SMALL><\/P><\/p>\n
Clint Van Zandt is an MSNBC analyst. He is the founder and president of Van Zandt Associates Inc. Van Zandt and his associates also developed LiveSecure.org, a Website dedicated “to develop, evaluate, and disseminate information to help prepare and inform individuals concerning personal and family security issues.” During his 25-year career in the FBI, Van Zandt was a supervisor in the FBI’s internationally renowned Behavioral Science Unit at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. He was also the FBI’s Chief Hostage Negotiator and was the leader of the analytical team tasked with identifying the “Unabomber.”<\/SMALL><\/P><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Former FBI Profiler offers 7 tips to keep you safe … and alive on vacation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_10223285771444175_51037792744":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-248933","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-headlines"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/248933","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=248933"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/248933\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=248933"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=248933"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bahamasb2b.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=248933"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}