Driving Safely and Securely

Road Safety

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 1.2 million people worldwide are killed every year due to road accidents, and as many as 50 million are injured or disabled. The majority of these deaths, approximately 85 percent, occur in low to middle-income countries. It is estimated that more than 300 U.S. citizens die each year due to road accidents abroad and thousands more are injured. The majority of road crash victims (injuries and fatalities) in developing countries are not the motor vehicle occupants, but pedestrians, motorcyclists, bicyclists and non-motor vehicle (NMV) occupants.

Potential victims of kidnapping and assault are probably most vulnerable when entering or leaving their homes or offices. Here are some quick safety tips to think about before your next trip:

• Always be aware of your surroundings and be alert for possible surveillance upon leaving or returning to your vehicle, home, or office.
• Never enter a car without checking the rear seat to ensure that it is empty.
• Do not develop predictable patterns.
• If possible, exchange company cars or swap with coworkers occasionally.
  
• Know the location of police, hospital, military, and government buildings should you need immediate assistance.
  
• Avoid trips to remote areas, particularly after dark.
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• Select well-traveled streets as much as possible.
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• Keep vehicles well-maintained at all times to avoid breakdowns.
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• When driving, remember to keep automobile doors locked and windows rolled up (if possible).
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• Be constantly alert to road conditions and surroundings.
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• Never pick up hitchhikers.
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• Carry a 3 x 5 card printed with important phrases in the local language.
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• Report all suspicious activity to the police.
  

Information for Students

Students, who may choose less expensive, often less reliable methods of local transportation while traveling interstate, should be aware of the potential dangers. Please see our Student’s Safety Traveling links, as well as the other information relating to safe traveling. Students traveling interstate should also be aware of the dangers of reckless behavior, including careless driving and driving under the influence. It should also be noted that penalties for persons judged responsible for automobile accidents resulting in injury or fatalities may be treated very seriously by authorities and result in extremely stiff prison sentences.

Tips on Driving Safely and Securely

• Obtain original National Driving License. (NDL)
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• Carry both original and copy of your NDL and all your car documents with you at all times.
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• Always "fastened your seat belt while driving.
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• You are required to always honk your horn before going around a sharp corner or to flash your lights before passing.
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• If you rent a car, make sure you have liability insurance. If you do not, this could lead to financial hardship.
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• If the local drivers in the state you are visiting drive on the left side of the road, it may be prudent to practice driving in a less populated area before attempting to drive in heavy traffic.
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• Always know the route you will be traveling. Have a good road map, and chart your course before beginning.
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• Do not pick up hitchhikers or strangers.
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• When entering or exiting your vehicle, be aware of your surroundings.

For more information on Road Safety visit Road Safety Commission

Kidnapping And Hostage Situations

Tips For Kidnapping Situations

While every hostage situation is different, there are some general considerations to keep in mind.

At the outset of a kidnap incident, the kidnappers typically are tense, high-strung and may behave irrationally. It is extremely important that you remain calm and alert and manage your own behavior.

Avoid resistance and sudden or threatening movements. Do not struggle or try to escape unless you are certain of being successful. Don't try to be a hero, endangering yourself and others.

Consciously put yourself in a mode of passive cooperation. Talk normally. Do not complain, avoid belligerency, and comply with all orders and instructions.
If questioned, keep your answers short. Don't volunteer information or make unnecessary overtures.

Make a concerted effort to relax. Prepare yourself mentally, physically and emotionally for the possibility of a long ordeal.

Try to remain inconspicuous, avoid direct eye contact and the appearance of observing your captors' actions.

Avoid alcoholic beverages. Eat what they give you, even if it does not look or taste appetizing, but keep consumption of food and drink at a moderate level. A loss of appetite and weight is normal.

If you are involved in a lengthier, drawn-out situation, try to establish a rapport with your captors, avoiding political discussions or other confrontational subjects.

Establish a daily program of mental and physical activity.

Think positively. Avoid a sense of despair. Rely on your inner resources.

Remember that you are a valuable commodity to your captors. It is important to them to keep you alive and well.

Resources for Crime VictimsWhen anyone becomes the victim of a crime, he or she may suffer physical, emotional, or financial injuries. The emotional impact of the crime may be intensified if the victim is in unfamiliar surroundings, far away from sources of comfort and support, and not fluent in the local language or knowledgeable about local customs. Police or other security agents can provide assistance to crime victims

If you become the victim of a kidnap, contact the nearest police station or security agency for assistance and report the incident and obtain immediate help with safety concerns.

PRECAUTIONS TO TAKE WHILE TRAVELING

Safety on the Street

Use the same common sense traveling interstates that you would at home. Be especially cautious in (or avoid) areas where you may be more easily victimized. These include crowded places, train stations, tourist sites, market places, festivals and crime-ridden neighborhoods.

Don't use short cuts, narrow alleys or poorly lit streets.

Try not to travel alone at night, keep time to schedule your traveling to enable reaching destination during the day light.

Avoid public demonstrations and other civil disturbances.

Keep a low profile and avoid loud conversations or arguments.

Do not discuss travel plans or other personal matters with co-travelers who are strangers.

Avoid scam artists by being wary of strangers who approach you and offer to be your guide or sell you something at bargain prices.

Beware of pickpockets. They often have an accomplice who will:
• jostle you,
• ask you for directions or the time,
• point to something spilled on your clothing,
• or distract you by creating a disturbance.

Beware of groups of vagrant children who create a distraction while picking your pocket.

Wear the shoulder strap of your bag across your chest and walk with the bag away from the curb to avoid drive-by purse-snatchers.

Try to seem purposeful when you move about. Even if you are lost, act as if you know where you are going. Try to ask for directions only from individuals in authority, like the driver.

Learn a few phrases in the local language or have them handy in written form so that you can signal your need for local help.

Make a note of emergency telephone numbers you may need: police, fire, your hotel, and the nearest police station.

If you are confronted, don't fight back -- give up your valuables.

Safety in Your Hotel

Keep your hotel door locked at all times. Meet visitors in the lobby.

Do not leave money and other valuables in your hotel room while you are out. Use the hotel safe.

If you are out late at night, let someone know when you expect to return.

If you are alone, do not get on an elevator if there is a suspicious-looking person inside.

Read the fire safety instructions in your hotel room. Know how to report a fire, and be sure you know where the nearest fire exits and alternate exits are located. (Count the doors between your room and the nearest exit; this could be a lifesaver if you have to crawl through a smoke-filled corridor.)

Safety on Public Transportation

Taxis. Only take taxis clearly identified with official markings. Beware of unmarked cabs.

If you see your way being blocked by a stranger and another person is very close to you from behind, move away. This can happen in the corridor of the train or on the platform or station.

Do not accept food or drink from strangers. Criminals have been known to drug food or drink offered to passengers. Kidnappers may also spray sleeping gas in bus compartments. Where possible, lock your compartment. If it cannot be locked securely, take turns sleeping in shifts with your traveling companions. If that is not possible, stay awake. If you must sleep unprotected, tie down your luggage and secure your valuables to the extent possible.

Do not be afraid to alert authorities if you feel threatened in any way. Extra police are often assigned to Inter state buses traveling to the eastern part of the country where crime is a serious problem.

Buses. The same type of Kidnap activity found on taxes can be found on public buses on popular interstate routes. For example, travelers have been drugged and robbed while sleeping on buses or in bus stations. In some cases, whole busloads of passengers have been held up and kidnapped for possible ritual killings.

Also, be watchful and alert.

Survey the sitting arrangement of passenger in the bus, where you notice all passengers sleeping, please do not enter and quickly alert the police.

Safety When You Drive

When you rent a car, choose a type that is commonly available. Where possible, ask that markings that identify it as a rental car be removed. Make certain it is in good repair. If available, choose a car with universal door locks and power windows, features that give the driver better control of access. An air conditioner, when available, is also a safety feature, allowing you to drive with windows closed. Thieves can and do snatch purses through open windows of moving cars.

Keep car doors locked at all times. Wear seat belts.

As much as possible, avoid driving at night.

Don't leave valuables in the car. If you must carry things with you, keep them out of sight locked in the trunk, and then take them with you when you leave the car.

Don't park your car on the street overnight. If the hotel or municipality does not have a parking garage or other secure area, select a well-lit area.

Never pick up road side strangers at night.

Don't get out of the car if there are suspicious looking individuals nearby. Drive away.

Carjackers and thieves operate at gas stations, parking lots, in city traffic and along the highway. Be suspicious of anyone who hails you or tries to get your attention when you are in or near your car.

Criminals use ingenious ploys. They may pose as good Samaritans, offering help for tires that they claim are flat or that they have made flat. Or they may flag down a motorist, ask for assistance, and then steal the rescuer's luggage or car. Usually they work in groups, one person carrying on the pretense while the others rob you.

Other criminals get your attention with abuse, either trying to drive you off the road, or causing an "accident" by rear-ending you.

In some urban areas, thieves don't waste time on ploys, they simply smash car windows at traffic lights, grab your valuables or your car and get away. In cities around the world, "defensive driving" has come to mean more than avoiding auto accidents; it means keeping an eye out for potentially criminal pedestrians, cyclists and scooter riders.

How to Handle Money Safely

To avoid carrying large amounts of cash, make cash withdrawal from ATM only as you need currency. Do not flash large amounts of money when paying a bill. Make sure your ATM card is removed from machine after each transaction.

Deal only with Secured ATM possible located in Bank premises. Do not change money on the black market.

If your possessions are lost or stolen, report the loss immediately to the local police

After reporting missing items to the police, report the loss or theft of:
• ATM cards to the issuing Bank

Travel to High-Risk Areas

If you must travel in an area where there has been a history of terrorist attacks or kidnappings, make it a habit to:

Discuss with your family what they would do in the event of an emergency. Make sure your affairs are in order before leaving home.

Remember to leave a detailed itinerary and the numbers or copies of your passport or other documents with a friend or relative.

Remain friendly but be cautious about discussing personal matters or your itinerary.

Leave no personal or business papers in your hotel room.

Watch for people following you or "loiterers" observing your comings and goings.

Keep a mental note of safe havens, such as police stations, hotels, and hospitals. Formulate a plan of action for what you will do if there is gunfire nearby.

Let someone else know what your travel plans are. Keep them informed if you change your plans.

Report any suspicious activity to local police.

Select your own taxicabs at random. Don't take a vehicle that is not clearly identified as a taxi. Compare the face of the driver with the one on his or her posted license.

If possible, travel with others.

Be sure of the identity of visitors before opening the door of your hotel room. Don't meet strangers at your hotel room, or at unknown or remote locations.

Refuse unexpected packages.

Check for loose wires or other suspicious activity around your car.

Be sure your vehicle is in good operating condition.

Drive with car windows closed in crowded streets. Objects can be thrown through open windows.

If you are ever in a situation where somebody starts shooting, drop to the floor or get down as low as possible. Don't move until you are sure the danger has passed. Do not attempt to help rescuers and do not pick up a weapon. If possible, shield yourself behind a solid object. If you must move, crawl on your stomach

TIPS FOR A SAFE TRIP

Foreword

When you travel, the odds are in your favor that you will have a safe and incident-free trip. Travelers are, however, sometimes victimized by crime and violence, or experience unexpected difficulties.
We have prepared the following travel tips to help you avoid serious difficulties during your next planned interstates travel. We wish you a safe and wonderful journey!

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BEFORE YOU GO

What to Take
Safety begins when you pack. To help avoid becoming a target, do not dress so as to mark yourself as an affluent person. Expensive-looking jewelry, for instance, can draw the wrong attention.

Always try to travel light. You can move more quickly and will be more likely to have a free hand. You will also be less tired and less likely to set your luggage down, leaving it unattended.

Carry the minimum number of valuables, and plan places to conceal them. Your valuables, cash and credit cards are most secure when locked in a secured place. When you have to carry them on your person, you may wish to put them in various places rather than all in one wallet or pouch. Avoid handbags, fanny packs and outside pockets that are easy targets for thieves. Inside pockets and a sturdy shoulder bag with the strap worn across your chest are somewhat safer. One of the safest places to carry valuables is in a pouch or money belt worn under your clothing.

If you wear glasses, pack an extra pair. Bring them and any medicines you need in your carry-on luggage.

To avoid problems when passing through customs, keep medicines in their original, labeled containers. Bring copies of your prescriptions and the generic names for the drugs. If a medication is unusual or contains narcotics, carry a letter from your doctor attesting to your need to take the drug. If you have any doubt about the legality of carrying a certain drug your doctor before you travel.
Take ATM, credit cards instead of cash.

Put your name, address and telephone numbers inside and outside of each piece of luggage. Use covered luggage tags to avoid casual observation of your identity. If possible, lock your luggage.

Consider getting a mobile line that can be reachable or get major covered network telephone. It is a convenient way of keeping in touch. If you have one, verify that you can use it from your location(s).

What to Leave Behind

Don't travel with anything you would hate to lose. Leave at home:

• valuable or expensive-looking jewelry
• irreplaceable family objects
• all unnecessary credit cards
• your Documents, Social Security card, library card, and similar items you may routinely carry in your wallet.

Leave a copy of your itinerary with family or friends at home in case they need to contact you in an emergency.

Make two photocopies of your National identification card, driver's license and the credit cards that you plan to bring with you. Leave one photocopy of this data with family or friends at home; pack the other in a place separate from where you carry the originals.

What to Learn About Before You Go
Security

The Department of State's Security Police are available for every state security and Federal Road Safety Commission always on the road checkmating high speed driving and other road driving offenses. They also provide addresses and emergency telephone numbers.

Travel Alerts
Travel alerts are a means to disseminate information about relatively short-term conditions posing significant risk to the security of travelers. They are issued when there is a perceived threat of road accident especially during festive period by the Federal Road Safety Commission.

Emergency Telephone

Nigeria Police hot lines 09-234-5600, 08033458600 they can answer general inquiries on safety and security other emergency numbers are 911, 115, 08029000004, 08029000005, 800, 197, 942, 112, 999,

Payment Details

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Home Security While You Are Away

Securing Your Home

• Do not publicize your travel or vacation plans. Leave contact numbers with appropriate person.

• Arrange to have a friend or colleague pick up your newspapers, mail, or other deliveries daily.

• Secure your home. Close and lock all windows and doors. Don't forget to lock garage or gate doors.

• Consider purchasing timers to turn on outside and inside lights automatically at various times throughout the night.

• Check outside lighting and replace older light bulbs. You don't want a light burning out while you are away.

• Ask a friend or colleague to check your residence periodically, ensuring your furnace or air conditioning is functioning and that timers and lights are working.

• The decision to set the automated alarm system may vary from region to region. Power outages and brownouts may trip alarm systems. Check with your security officer for advice on setting alarm systems when you are away for long periods of time.

• Unplug all unnecessary appliances such as televisions, stereos, and personal computers.

• Mow your lawn just before leaving; make arrangements to have someone mow it again if you will be gone for an extended period of time. Also arrange for watering, if that is likely to be needed.

• In the winter, make arrangements to have someone shovel walkways if it snows. At a minimum, have a neighbor walk from the street to your door several times.

• If possible, ask a neighbor to park a car in your driveway (if you are taking yours).

• If you use a telephone answering machine, turn off the ringer on the telephone. If you don't have an answering machine, unplug or turn off ringers on all telephones.

• Lock all jewelry, important papers, currency, and other valuable portables in a safe place such as a safe deposit box or home safe.

• Ensure all personal and home insurance policies are up-to-date and that your coverage is adequate.

Personal Security At Home

Introduction

For anybody living overseas, the most serious obstacle to personal safety is an attitude of complacency or fatalism. "It can't happen to me" and "if it's going to happen, it's going to happen" is dangerous thinking.

Recent political events throughout the world have changed--but not necessarily diminished--the threats you face. Today, the most prevalent threat you face overseas is crime.
A criminal attack against you or your family can take place at any post, as can a fire or other disaster. However, you can influence what happens to you by assuming more responsibility for your own security.
The information presented in this article is general. Not all the information applies to all posts. Ask for post-specific information from your Police Security Officer.

Residential Security

Residential security is a critical component of any personal security program. The following guidelines should be used in reviewing your residential security.
* All entrances, including service doors and gates, should have quality locks--preferably deadbolt. Check your:
- Front Door
- Rear Door
- Garage Door(s)
- Service Door(s)
- Patio Door
- Sliding Glass Door
- Gate
- Swimming Pool Gate
- Guest House Door(s).
* Don't leave keys "hidden" outside the home. Leave an extra key with a trusted neighbor or colleague.
* Keep doors locked even when you or family members are at home.
* Have window locks installed on all windows. Use them.
* Lock louvered windows--especially on the ground floor.
* Have locks installed on your fuse boxes and external power sources.
* If you have window grilles and bars, review fire safety. Don't block bedroom windows with permanent grilles if the windows may be used for emergency egress.
* If you have burglar or intrusion alarms, check and use them.
* Keep at least one fire extinguisher on each floor, and be sure to keep one in the kitchen. Show family members and household help how to use them.
* Periodically check smoke detectors and replace batteries when necessary.
* Keep flashlights in several areas in the house. Check the batteries often, especially if you have children in your home. (They love to play with flashlights!)
* A family dog can be a deterrent to criminals. But remember, even the best watch-dog can be controlled by food or poison. Do not install separate "doggy doors" or entrances. They also can admit small intruders.
* Choose a location that offers the most security. The less remote, the safer your home will be, particularly in a neighborhood close to police and fire protection.
* Know your neighbors. Develop a rapport with them and offer to keep an eye on each other's homes, especially during trips.
* If you observe any unusual activity, report it immediately to your RSO.
* Establish safe family living patterns. If you understand the importance of your contribution to the family's overall security, the entire household will be safer.
* While at home, you and your family should rehearse safety drills and be aware of procedures to escape danger and get help.
* Educate family members and domestic help in the proper way to answer the telephone at home.
* Vary daily routines; avoid predictable patterns.
* Know where all family members are at all times.
* Use these same guidelines while on leave or in travel status.

Establishing a Safe haven

Follow three basic steps in setting up a safe-haven in your home:
* Designate an internal room;
* Install a two-way communications system or telephone; and
* Furnish the safe-haven with an emergency kit.

It is highly unlikely you would spend more than a few hours in a safe-haven; however, the supplies listed below are suggested for your maximum safety. Your security officer can tell you more about how to select and secure your safe-haven.

The following is a checklist of possible safe-haven supplies.
* Fire extinguisher
* Fresh water
* 5-day supply of food
* Candles, matches, flashlight
* Extra batteries
* Bedding
* Toilet facilities
* Gas Cooker, stove, fuel
* Shortwave or other radio
* Medical/first aid kit
* Other items for your comfort and leisure--a change of clothing, books, games

[Released by the Bureau of Diplomatic Security]

Drinking Tea Can Improve Your Health

Drinking Tea

Want to protect yourself against cancer, heart disease, diabetes, tooth decay, and the common cold? How about losing a bit of weight as an added bonus?

Try tea. Research suggests that drinking a daily cup of tea – or rather two or three cups of the beverage – might help ward off chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancers, and diabetes, strengthen the immune system, and act as a weight loss aid.

What is Tea?
True tea comes from the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, an evergreen plant that thrives in warm, wet weather. Several varieties, or subspecies, of Camellia sinensis exist. The most important subspecies are assam, grown in India, and sinensis, grown in China. There are four types of tea: black, oolong, green, or white. All four types of tea can come from the same tea bushes, depending on the way the leaf is processed.

Herbal teas, which may come from a variety of plants, are more correctly called infusions.

What Does the Research Say?
Over and over again, scientific studies have demonstrated that tea has many potential health benefits. Scientists have examined tea’s possible role in preventing and controlling other types of cancer, helping reduce the risk of heart and blood vessel disease, helping control weight and diabetes, preventing cavities, staving off bacterial, viral, and fungal infections, decreasing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, improving athletic performance, and more. The majority of these studies have shown that tea does indeed have beneficial effects.

For instance, a study published in December 2005 in the Journal of the American Medical Association’s Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that women who drank at least two cups of tea daily had a lower risk of ovarian cancer than non-tea drinkers.

To perform the study, researchers from the Division of Nutritional Epidemiology, The National Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden examined the association between tea consumption and the risk of ovarian cancer in 61,057 women, aged 40 to 76. Women in the study who drank two or more cups of tea per day had a 46 per cent lower risk of ovarian cancer compared with non-drinkers. For each additional cup of tea per day, the women’s risk of ovarian cancer decreased by 18 percent.

In another study, researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard University found that tea contains a substance that may help the body fight off infection and disease and strengthen the immune system. The substance, L-theanine, helps the immune system in fight infection, bacteria, viruses and fungi. When the researchers tested their theory in humans, they found that people who drank five cups of black tea a day for two to four weeks secreted up to four times more interferon, an important part of the body’s immune defense, than at the beginning of the study. The researchers concluded that drinking black tea provides the body’s immune system with natural resistance to microbial infection.

How Does Tea Help?
Like the fruits and vegetables that health professionals constantly urge everyone to eat, tea contains compounds called antioxidants. In fact, the dried tea leaf is about 40 percent antioxidants.

Antioxidants protect cells in the body by neutralizing “bad” molecules called oxidants (sometimes called free radicals). Oxidants are charged molecules produced when the body burns oxygen for energy. Oxidants damage cell proteins and genetic material by “stealing” electrons. The damaged cells may be vulnerable to cancer, heart disease, and other chronic diseases.

If antioxidant molecules are present, however, they give up an electron to the oxidant molecules before they come in contact with cells, neutralizing the oxidant molecules so they cannot cause damage to cells.

Can Tea Hurt?
Believe it or not, you actually can drink too much tea. Tea contains caffeine. The amount depends on the type of tea, how long it’s steeped, and other factors. On average, though, tea contains about 35 to 40 milligrams of caffeine per cup – less than half the amount in an average 8 oz cup of coffee. Pregnant women, people with heart conditions, and those who wish to avoid caffeine for other reasons should moderate their intake of tea or drink decaffeinated tea (for instructions on how to decaffeinate your own tea, see the next section of this article).

Tea can also interfere with the ability to absorb iron from food. To avoid this problem, some people take Vitamin C with their tea, which can improve iron absorption. A better solution (in those in whom iron deficiency may be a problem) is simply to drink your tea between meals.

Low-grade teas (such as the brick teas drunk in parts of the Himalayas) and powdered iced tea mixes can be high in fluoride. Because of this high fluoride content, consuming large quantities of low-grade or iced teas can lead to brittle bones.

The Perfect Pot of Tea
How can you get the most out of your tea? Researchers suggest drinking three cups a day at different times throughout the day. Spreading your tea drinking out over the day allows you to absorb the largest amount of polyphenols and other healthful compounds.

Avoid decaffeinated, bottled ready-to-drink teas, and instant teas, which all have fewer polyphenols than freshly steeped tea made from tea leaves.


* You can decaffeinate your own tea without losing its beneficial effects. Pour boiling water over a teabag, wait 20 to 40 seconds, then discard the water. Then pour a second cup of hot water over the teabag and allow it to steep for five minutes. Because caffeine dissolves easily in water, you’ll throw out most of the caffeine with the first cup of water.
* If you prefer your tea iced, start with tea bags, not iced tea mix.


The beneficial effects of tea also depend on how you brew it. Here’s how:


1. Always start with fresh, cold water. For best taste, use filtered or spring water. If you’re using tap water, start with cold water. This reduces the risk of picking up heavy metals from water pipes, especially in homes with older plumbing systems.
2. For each cup, place one teabag, or one teaspoon of loose tea, in the cup or pot.
3. Bring the water to a rolling boil (203 degrees Fahrenheit).
4. For black or oolong tea, pour the boiling water over the dried tea immediately after it boils.
5. For green and white tea, wait 2 minutes after the water has boiled before pouring the hot water in the pot. Green and should steep at slightly lower temperatures (158 to 203 degrees Fahrenheit).
6. Steep the tea according to its type:

a. Step black tea for five minutes to get the full benefits of the catechins. About 85 percent of catechins are released within five minutes. Steeping for longer than five
b. Steep green or white tea for two to four minutes.
c. Steep oolong tea for up to six minutes.
7. Enjoy! If you prefer, add milk and sugar. Adding milk to your tea provides nutrients including calcium, protein, and Vitamin D.


Related Resources
Tea Association of Canada
http://www.tea.ca

Tea Association of the United States
http://www.teausa.com

United Kingdom Tea Council
http://www.tea.co.uk

[Source: E Health MD]

Surviving Kidnapping

Kidnappings

Kidnapping is a terrifying experience, but you possess more personal resources than you may be aware of to cope with the situation. Remember, you are only of value to them alive, and they want to keep you that way.

The common hostage responses of fear, denial, and withdrawal are all experienced in varying degrees. You may be blindfolded, drugged, handled roughly, or even stuffed in the trunk of a car. If drugs are administered, do not resist. Their purpose will be to sedate you and make you more manageable; these same drugs may actually help you to get control of your emotions, which should be your immediate goal. If conscious, follow your captors’ instructions.

Captivity

A hostage-taking situation is at its worst at the onset. The terrorists are nervous and unsure, easily irritated, often irrational. It is a psychologically traumatic moment for the hostage. Violence may be used even if the hostage remains passive, but resistance could result in death.

If taken hostage, your best defense is passive cooperation. You may be terrified, but try to regain your composure as soon as possible and to organize your thoughts. Being able to behave rationally increases your chances for survival. The more time that passes, the better your chances of being released alive.

Behavior Suggestions

Each captivity is different, but some behavior suggestions apply to most:
• Try to establish some kind of rapport with your captors. Family is a universal subject. Avoid political dialogues, but listen attentively to their point of view. If you know their language, listen and observe; and if addressed, use it.
• Plan on a lengthy stay, and determine to keep track of the passage of time. Captors may attempt to confuse your sense of time by taking your watch, keeping you in a windowless cell, or serving meals at odd hours. However, you can approximate time by noting, for example, changes in temperatures between night and day; the frequency and intensity of outside noises—traffic, whistles, birds; and by observing the alertness of guards.
• Maintain your dignity and self-respect at all times.
• Manage your time by setting up schedules for simple tasks, exercises, daydreaming, housekeeping.
• Build relations with fellow captives and with the terrorists. If hostages are held apart, devise ways to communicate with one another. Where hostages are moved back and forth, to bathrooms for example, messages can be written and left. However, do not jeopardize your safety or the safety or treatment of others if attempting to communicate with fellow captives seems too risky.
• Maintain your physical and mental health; it is critical to exercise body and mind. Eat food provided without complaint; keep up your strength. Request medical treatment or special medicines if required.
• Establish exercise and relaxation programs. Exercise produces a healthy tiredness and gives you a sense of accomplishment. If space is confined, do isometrics. Relaxation reduces stress. Techniques include meditation, prayer, daydreaming. • Keep your mind active; read anything available. Write, even if you are not allowed to retain your writings. If materials are not available, mentally compose poetry or fiction, try to recall Scripture, design a house, even “play tennis” (as one hostage did).
• Take note of the characteristics of your captors and surroundings: their habits, speech, contacts; exterior noises (typical of city or country); and other distinctive sounds. This information could prove very valuable later.

If selected for early release, consider it an opportunity to help remaining hostages. Details you have observed on the terrorists and the general situation can assist authorities with a rescue.

You can expect to be accused of working for the government’s intelligence service, to be interrogated extensively, and to lose weight. You may be put in isolation; your captives may try to disorient you. It is important that you mentally maintain control.

Avoidance of Capture or Escape

Efforts to avoid capture or to attempt escape have in most cases been futile. The decision, however, is a personal one, although it could affect fellow hostages by placing them in jeopardy. Several other considerations should be weighed.

To have any chance of success, you should be in excellent physical condition and mentally prepared to react before the terrorists have consolidated their position. This, also, is the riskiest psychological time. You would need to have a plan in mind, and possibly have been trained in special driving tactics or other survival skills.

If you are held in a country in which you would stand out because of race or other physical characteristics, if you know nothing of the language or your location, or if you are held in a country where anti-American or anti-Western attitudes prevail, you should consider the consequences of your escape before attempting it. If you conclude that an escape attempt is worthwhile, take terrorists by surprise and you may make it. If their organization has a poor track record of hostage safety, it may be worth the risk.

Rescue

The termination of any terrorist incident is extremely tense. If an assault force attempts a rescue, it is imperative that you remain calm and out of the way. Make no sudden moves or take any action by which you could be mistaken for a terrorist and risk being injured or killed.

Even in a voluntary release or surrender by the kidnappers, tensions are charged and tempers volatile. Very precise instructions will be given to the hostages, either by the captors or the police. Follow instructions precisely. You may be asked to exit with hands in the air, and you may be searched by the rescue team. You may experience rough treatment until you are identified and the situation has stabilized.

Finally, it’s worth keeping in mind three facts about terrorism:
• The overwhelming majority of victims have been abducted from their vehicles on the way to or from work.
• A large number of people taken hostage ignored the most basic security precautions.
• Terrorist tactics are not static. As precautions prove effective, they change their methods. There is a brief “window of vulnerability” while we learn to counter their new styles.

Additional Precautions

Do not settle into a routine. Vary times and routes to and from work or social engagements.

Remember, there is safety in numbers. Avoid going out alone. When traveling long distances by automobile, go in a convoy. Avoid back country roads and dangerous areas of the city.

A privately owned car generally offers the best security. Avoid luxury or ostentatious cars. Keep your automobile in good repair and the gas tank at least half full. Driving in the center lane of a multiple lane highway makes it difficult for the car to be forced off the road.

[Source: The United States State Department]