As an Occupational Health Nurse Manager, I experienced a scare with an employee. One of the nurses I managed became sick recently and I was unable to find her. This nurse had a stellar record of attendance and communication skills. I worried something awful had happened. She had graciously invited my family to a party she was hosting and I happened to have her husbands cell phone number. I was finally able to get hold of the husband, who did not know she was not at work. He was able to track her down and contacted me with the update, she was in the Emergency Room at the local hospital. A recent survey published in Business Travel News addressed Crisis Management. They further identified by the survey the "primary source of employee location and contact information in an emergency". The one page graph did not expand on emergency type or situation. It did not identify disasters. Tools used for company provided emergency assistance program primary sources were email 43% and phone call in person 37%. Tools for company provided traveler/ crisis alerts: Primary sources were email (63%) and internet site(31%). How would your company contact you if there was an emergency back home? How would your company contact you if you had an emergency overseas? As an Occupational Health Nurse we have prepared over 100 business travelers a month with health and safety preparation before business travel. Here are some tips to prepare for quick communication during business travel; Internal in your company; Check with Human Resources and update your emergency contact numbers. After the nurse became sick, I placed that communication must at the top of my priority list for the team of nurses I managed. I encouraged them to update emergency contacts annually. Working with the larger corporations, much of this information is available on the company's home page. The nurses could update their emergency contacts from their computer. Learn policies and procedures for injury or illness at work. The E H&S team or Human Resources can guide that information. Talk to your family or emergency contacts about your emergency plan at work. Let them know what hospital you expect to be transported to, the location of your insurance card and who else to contact for you, if you are unable to make phone calls at the time of the emergency. Prepare for the worst, expect the best. Look for my next article Business overseas Emergency planning

3 Easy Steps to signing up for Smart Traveler Enrollment Program

The U.S. State Department has created as part of their travel safe and healthy website a program called Smart Traveler Enrollment Program or STEP.
I would have called it the Smart Traveler Emergency Program. Because the purpose of the program is to assist U.S. Citizens caught in a disaster or emergency situation abroad. It is a bit tricky to register so I will share with you my experience.

This program is for short term international travel or for U.S. Citizens taking up residence in a foreign country, which is pretty cool.

This is the registration link;



Keep these number handy when traveling;

CONTACT OVERSEAS CITIZENS SERVICES:
From within the U.S. 1-888-407-4747
From outside the U.S. 1-202-501-4444

To register for the STEP program, click on the link above.
The trick is to register about a week at the most two weeks before your departure date.
Information of your travel will then stay fresh in the mind of the STEP computer program. I make that suggestion because I found it easier to organize my list of pre- travel reminders that way.

To give feedback on this program contact- CAIBRS@state.gov. Don't contact me about this, there is not really much I can do, except voice my opinion by blogging.

Create an account and password, the usual stuff.

Site has a template for sending travel groups information in to the STEP program.
Next register your travel information. Here is a list of information you will need;

Itinerary, including:
Destination country
Arrival dates
Departure dates
purpose of travel
Personal Contact information.
Closest US Embassy to destination country.

Link to a list of U.S. Embassies World Wide.


Then register your personal information

What I did not see on the registration is an " Emergency contact" number or next of Kin or anything like that. So keep your cell phones charged up when traveling. I am unsettled by lack of a loved ones emergency contact information.

Healthy and safe travels,

Nurse G