Wake Forest: Travel Safety Reminders to All Students/Faculty/Staff abroad
David Taylor, Director of Global Abroad Programs, sent the following message to all WFU students, faculty, and staff currently abroad.
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Dear WFU students, faculty, and staff abroad,
This email is to share with you the U.S. State Department’s “Worldwide Travel Alert” which was issued yesterday (11/23/15); it urges the continued exercise of caution for all travelers. As you will see or have already seen, many of the precautions therein parallel recommendations which WFU previously shared with you. These recommendations are reiterated below:
- Remain alert to your surroundings at all times;
- Keep a low profile;
- Follow news reports closely;
- Make sure you report to your program all independent travel before you depart. This will help ensure staff can reach you immediately in an emergency;
- Walk away at the first sign of trouble, such as suspicious persons, packages or activities;
- Avoid large crowds or crowded places;
- Exercise vigilance when in public places or using transportation;
- Keep your cell phones with you, fully charged and turned on at all times, responding immediately to any calls or messages;
- Should an incident occur, let your family and program know you are safe;
- Visit the State Department’s travel website for information and follow them on Twitter or Facebook for latest updates;
- For U.S. citizens, enroll in State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency;
- Plan on longer security lines at airports, train stations, bus terminals, etc.;
- Continue to listen to advice and recommendations of program directors and in-country support.
As always, do not hesitate to contact me with questions related to any of the above information. Warm wishes for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday and end of fall semester.
Sincerely,
David
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David F. Taylor
Director of Global Abroad Programs