ParisFriday’s horrific terrorist attacks in Paris has the Western world on edge. Sadly, until governments around the world wake up and extinguish these barbarians, this could be the new norm. Fortunately, I’ve never been smack in the middle of a terrorist attack but I was in Manhattan during 9/11, in India during the terror attacks in Mumbai in 2008 and in Los Angeles during the riots (not a terrorist attack but it was scary like one). I was also in France this past August when fortunately, three Americans thwarted a bloody train massacre.

If, God forbid, you’re ever in a city where’s there’s a terrorist attack or you’re about to travel to one, then hopefully you will find this information helpful.

Here’s what to do in a city where’s there’s been a terrorist attack:
Remain Calm Cell Paris
1. Remain calm
Obviously this is easier said than done. But losing your cool isn’t going to help, especially when clear heads are needed. Remain calm and if you’re in a place that’s secure, then stay there. If not, then go to the closest one. Once the terrorists have been found, detained, arrested, killed or have cowardly blown themselves up, realize that the city is way safer than it was before the attacks. The governments will likely bring in thousands of officers, agents and military, so don’t panic.

2. Run to safety
If you are in the mix of things then the first thing you should do is run from danger instead of trying to find a safe hiding place. And don’t play dead. This is according to the United Kingdom’s National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NCTSO) which recently published its advice for “developing lockdown procedures” in the event of a terrorist attack. See below:

Run
-Escape if you can.
-Consider the safest options.
-Is there  a safe route? RUN if not HIDE.
-Can you  get there  without  exposing yourself to greater danger?
-Insist others leave with you.
-Leave belongings behind.

Hide
-If you can’t RUN, HIDE.
-Find cover from gunfire.
-If you can see the attacker, they may be able to see you.
-Cover from view does not mean you are safe, bullets go through glass, brick, wood and metal.
-Find cover from gunfire e.g. substantial brickwork / heavy reinforced walls.
-Be aware of your exits.
-Try not to get trapped.
-Lock / barricade yourself in.
-Move away from the door
-Be quiet, silence your phone.

3. Silence your phoneI think it’s really important to stress the last point in the tip above since there were reports that some people got shot because their cell phone rang.

FaceBook Paris4. Check in with loved ones
Naturally, your loved ones are going to be freaking out when they hear the news. If you are safe make sure to let your immediate family know and if you’re on Facebook, then either post that you’re safe or mark yourself as safe using Facebook’s safety check feature. If your location is set to the city where the attack occurred or you recently checked in, Facebook will most likely send you a text or email asking to mark yourself as safe. The app also allows friends/family who have made contact with the person to mark them as safe.
STEP_edited
5. Alert your government
The U.S. Government created the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to keep you updated on any relevant incidents or instructions in case something does go down in the part of the world where you’re traveling. It’s a free service for U.S. citizens who are traveling to, or living in, a foreign country. STEP allows you to enter information about your upcoming trip abroad so that the State Department can better assist you in an emergency. STEP also allows Americans residing abroad to get routine information from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

FYI: My friend and travel expert Peter Greenberg says that if he was in a foreign country and there was an emergency, the last place he would go is the U.S. Embassy because it’s the first place that shuts down and goes into bunker mode. He suggests going to the Canadian, British or Australian Embassy.
FireChat
6. Use FireChat
During 9/11 all the cellular and land lines went down. The only phones working were pay phones but in this day and age, you will be hard pressed to find one. If the phones and internet go down, hopefully you and your loved ones would have already downloaded the FireChat app as it lets users communicate on their smartphones without internet or cellular connection by using “mesh networking”. According to Skift, FireChat uses your phone’s Wi-Fi or Bluetooth antennas “to pass a message to another phone running FireChat that’s located up to 200 feet away. That phone relays the encrypted message on, until it’s delivered. The process can take 10 to 20 minutes to travel across a dense metro area, assuming about 5 percent of the city’s population has downloaded the FireChat app—a big assumption.” My wife and I tested it briefly on a plane above France and it worked instantaneously, both when we were next to each other or when I was all the way down the aisle in the bathroom.
Newark-610x404
7. If you want to, get out of town
Usually after terrorist attacks, governments close the borders, airports and even roads. We saw this in Paris and in New York after 9/11 when the city shut down all trains, tunnels and bridges for a few hours so I was trapped on the island of Manhattan. FYI: Later that afternoon, I was able to take the train to Connecticut to stay with my family.

I’m sure your immediate reaction will be the same as mine – to get the heck out of Dodge. But don’t just head to the airport, train or bus station. Stay where you are since it’s most likely going to be safer and save you from a wild goose chase. Instead, get on the phone (if they are working) and get online or call the airlines, train, bus companies to see if you can get on or change a flight.

It might take these companies a few hours but they will most likely waive change fees and offer a refund. Better yet, contact your travel agent and have them do the work for you.
Cranky1
8. Get help
If you didn’t book through a travel agent, you can call CrankyConcierge.com. For a fee (usually $150), they will help you make other flight arrangements, find a hotel or alternate transportation.

photo-by-@salvadorochoa-LA-Travel-Show-Pics-3-Copy-e1425425188982
9. Get travel insurance
I highly recommend getting travel insurance and from a third party. You need to have the insurance before an incident takes place or a storm is formed so buy it as soon as you book your travel. But you have to read the fine print as some policies don’t cover terrorism. I use Allianz Travel Insurance (Full Disclosure: They are a sponsor of JohnnyJet.com) since their policies do cover terrorism and are the giant in the travel insurance business. Allianz is competitively priced but even if they cost a little more, I would go with them because they have offices in 34 countries that span six continents so chances are they will have people on the ground no matter where you are in the world. That right there gives me peace of mind.

FYI: The reason you want to buy travel insurance from a third party is, let’s say you buy insurance for a cruise from a cruise line and they go out of business, then you are out of luck.

Direct from Allianz: “Allianz Travel Insurance policies do provide coverage for trip cancellation and trip interruption when there is a terrorist event at the customer’s destination within 30 days of the day they are scheduled to arrive. That means that if you are scheduled to arrive in Paris within 30 days of Friday’s attacks, you can cancel your trip and receive payment for your non-refundable trip costs. Allianz Travel Insurance customers who are already in Paris and wish to return early may receive payment for their unused prepaid expenses and may be covered for additional transportation costs to get home early. Allianz Global Assistance is based in Paris and we have hundreds of employees on the ground there who are able to help our customers who may need assistance. Customers should call us at the number on their travel insurance policy if they have questions about their coverage, need to file a claim or need travel assistance. We are here 24/7 and are ready to help.”

Grocery Store
10. Stock up on food, water
Shortly after the planes hit the Twin Towers, I ran downstairs to stock up on food since I had nothing in my apartment (I was living in NYC at the time). The store shelves were practically barren in minutes, just like after the L.A. riots. If you’re renting an apartment, be sure to stock up when you get there. If you’re in a hotel, you should be fine.
Emergency Kit
11. Create an emergency kit for your car
If you’re renting a car or on a road trip, then create an emergency kit for your car. Have a first aid kit, flares, bottled water, snacks, blanket, phone charger, a transistor radio and a map. You’ll especially need the last two if there’s no cell service. If you’re in a hot location then sunscreen, a hat and bug spray are also recommended.
Charge Phone
12. Keep your phone charged and carry a power pack
After the Mumbai attacks, I became kind of neurotic about keeping my phone charged. I make sure it’s fully charged before leaving the house and I often carry a compact portable charger so I can juice up on the fly. Here are some on Amazon.com.

Euros
13. Have cash
When I travel I almost always pay for everything with my credit cards so I can earn miles/points but in emergencies, cash is king. It’s always a good idea to carry some U.S. dollars as well as local currency.
prod_emergencyradio_iphone
14. Stay up to date
Stay up to date by listening to the news or following reputable local and national agencies on Twitter. If you want to know what’s happening around you or around the world, you can download a free emergency radio app. This will allow you to listen to live police, fire, EMS, railroad, air traffic, NOAA weather, coast guard, HAM radio, and other frequencies all over the planet. There are thousands of live frequencies and you can tune in to help you stay safer in your neighborhood if you know something is going down.

I hope these tips are useful and if you have any other suggestions, please leave a comment below. If you want more, be sure to follow me on Twitter, Facebook and sign up to my free weekly newsletter at JohnnyJet.com.

16 Comments On "What to Do in a City Where There’s Been a Terrorist Attack"
  1. susan|

    Stocking up on some supplies is also useful in case of a natural disaster. We were in Maui when a tsunami warning was given and we had to evacuate our hotel to the civic center at 11 PM. I’d recommend taking a pillow, blanket from the hotel, some toilet paper, and water and snacks – just in case. We didn’t need the water or snacks but we did need the blanket and pillow in order to get any sleep at all.

  2. donna|

    Great article and tips for traveling abroad in case of a terror event! I’m very nervous about going on our next trip out of the US but will keep these tips in mind. Thanks

    1. Nicola|

      “No other developed country in the world has anywhere near the same rate of gun violence as America. The US has nearly six times the gun homicide rate as Canada, more than seven times as Sweden, and nearly 16 times as Germany, according to UN data compiled by the Guardian.” – The Vox 06/12/2015

      I’m afraid of visiting the US.

  3. Bob Jenkins|

    Good stuff, Johnny, but remember tha prevention is the best tip. I advise English-speaking travelers that, before going to a place that MIGHT be of concern, go ti the advisories web sites of the State Dept, or corresponding agencies, for the U.S., UK, Canada and Australia. All of them offer cautions for their own citizens about travel to most nations in the world. Cross-reference at least two, see what they agree on — specific section of town, time of day, entertainment venues to avoid, etc. If matters are more uncertain, go to yhour own naitonal embassy when you arrive, report your travel plans and contacts back home.

    1. Johnny Jet|

      Agreed! I actually had that as one of them but didn’t want it to be #13.

  4. Suze - Luxury Columnist|

    This is such a useful article, Johnny. I hadn’t heard of the FireChat app but I’m going to download it

    Suze

  5. Tammy|

    Thanks for sharing these tips. Though I intent to be safe during my travels, it’s always good to be prepared in case of an emergency. I haven’t heard of the firechat app and look forward to checking it out. :)

    Thanks!
    Tammy

  6. Bonnie|

    Thanks for the wonderful tips. It is important to note that just because we are all now ‘connected’ it doesn’t mean that the old fashioned things such as radios and flashlights (battery operated) are obsolete. During the electrical outage in August 2003, I was in NYC without a flashlight or a radio. A payphone on Times Square allowed me to call my mom to find out what was going on and let her know I was safe. There was no way to buy anything since the stores promptly closed. Had it not been for the restaurants giving away food (before it spoiled and had to be thrown out) we would not have had anything to eat that night. The old hotel were I stayed had the old fashioned key locks, so I had my own bed to sleep in and not stuck out on the sidewalk as so many were. Luckily someone parked their car up on the sidewalk in front of the hotel and let the radio blare from the windows.So now I always take a small radio and flashlight (extra batteries on a longer trip).

    1. Karen Parrell|

      I take a small solar powered/self winding flashlight when I travel ( no need to fear dead batteries ). I keep it charged up and in my night stand at home, then transfer it to my carry on luggage or purse when traveling. I put it on the night table beside the bed in hotel rooms. Has come in VERY handy many times.

      1. Johnny Jet|

        Good one!

  7. Michelle Diehl|

    Sad that an article like this is necessary. Glad you’ve survived the attacks in NYC and Mumbai.
    I often feel that the weeks after an attack are the safest times to visit a given city due to heightened security…but maybe I’m naive :-/

  8. Hermes|

    Wow, thanks for the tip on FIRECHAT. I had never heard of it.

  9. Nancy Reid|

    Thanks for the great information. My husband and I planned a cruise with a stop in Brussels but after the Paris attack I insisted that we cancel. The way things are these days, I prefer to stay in the states where at least I know the language. Hope you and wifey get home safely. Godspeed.

  10. thepixinator|

    I would also add to keep a printout with some basic information like your passport number, 800 number for your credit card, 800 number for the travel insurance, phone number of your hotel, phone number of your airline, home country Embassy phone number, and whatever else I’m not thinking of, in a pocket of a garment that you’re wearing. Keep it on you every day. This would be helpful in case you drop your purse and/or phone in the chaos of a city under attack. Or it’s helpful if you are in a perfectly safe city that’s NOT under attack, but you happen to get robbed. I never remember to do this, and I always get home from a trip safe and sound, and think, “Why didn’t I do that? I wasn’t paying any attention to my surroundings in that museum/shop/restaurant.”

  11. Steve Solosky|

    Good article Johnny. I appeared on a Toronto radio program yesterday to talk about the attacks and what type of precautions need to take when traveling to Europe. My blog post, summarizing what I said on the radio program is posted here: travelingprofessor.com

  12. Hawk|

    If you’re going to leave a link for a product, then you should say in the link which platform it’s for, and see if you can provide the alternative for the other platform.

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