5 helpful tips for how to handle emergency situations while travelling.
Emergencies can arise at anytime and anywhere. While at home, many of us may feel we know what to do in a medical emergency. But when you’re travelling and outside your usual environment, situations can become much more challenging to handle.
To help prepare you for anything that may arise, we’ve put together five helpful tips for how to handle emergency situations.
#1. Have your ‘ICE’ information ready
ICE stands for “in case of emergency” which provides paramedics and doctors with information on who to call if you’re in an emergency situation.
- Store your ICE info on your phone or in an app
- Share your ICE information with your travelling companions
#2. Keep your medical information on hand
If you do encounter a medical emergency while travelling, having an easily accessible list of your current medications that includes dose and instructions can be extremely helpful for paramedics and other medical staff who will administer your treatment.
Try to have this information located in an easy to find spot, such as inside your wallet or take a photo of your medication on your phone so that there is a visual reference to it.
#3. Stay up to date with first aid
The response time in first aid incidents is often critical, with many acute illnesses and injuries requiring immediate care. By completing first aid training, you’ll empower yourself with the skills and knowledge to know what to do in medical emergency – and be able to assess and respond quickly and efficiently – which can sometimes make all the difference.
#4. Know when to call for an ambulance
How to handle emergency situations begins in knowing when you need help. When an incident unfolds, it might not always be obvious if you should call for an ambulance. It’s important to know you should only call an ambulance in the case of a medical emergency, such as if you or someone else is suffering from:
- Chest pains
- Breathing difficulties
- Uncontrollable bleeding
- Severe burns
- Unconsciousness
However, this is only a guide, and if you are unsure whether another person is in need of an ambulance you should call the emergency services.
Be sure to know the emergency services number in your destination.
#5. Contact us at your earliest convenience
The team at World Travel Protection is available 24/7 to help our customers, no matter where they are in the world. While emergencies often mean you need local help urgently, once the initial situation is addressed we can help manage any language barriers you may be facing, help coordinate medical services, as well as organise any transportation or other support you may need.
Keep our phone number close or download our app to make contacting us even easier.
While you might hope to never use it, it’s important to think about what to do in a medical emergency – particularly when travelling.
For more travel health and safety advice visit the Travel Assist hub.
Discover how World Travel Protection can help you in a medical emergency
There’s so much to consider when it comes to travel safety. If you’re a frequent traveller or manage a travelling workforce, World Travel Protection’s 24/7 travel and medical assistance helps support its customers when medical, travel and security emergencies arise. Our Travel Risk Management Solutions help provide travellers with all the support they need pre- and during travel via our portal, app, and in-house experts. Fill out the form below to find out more.
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