Search Executive Protection Services | Travel Risk Management | Workplace Violence Programs

Planning a business trip has its own unique challenges even at the best of times – like lining up transportation for multiple people or securing necessary travel documents or visas – but the most important plans to make are the ones you hope never come to fruition. As Murphy’s Law states, “anything that can go wrong, will go wrong”, which is why contingency plans and crisis preparedness are vital to all business travel. When you think of travel emergencies, your mind probably goes straight to medical issues, like an illness or an injury contracted abroad. However, there are two other types of emergencies that are not only more dangerous, but (in some cases) more common: natural disasters and political unrest or upheaval. An injury or sickness typically only affects the single traveler, but a natural disaster or political unrest can affect thousands of people at once. So while the triggers for each scenario are different (natural disasters can occur with no warning, political tensions c...

  In April 2018, the Wells Fargo annual shareholders meeting drew the attention of angry protestors in Des Moines, Iowa. Despite the scandal plagued bank’s practice of keeping its meeting location close to the vest until the last minute, protestors still learned of the location and showed up in force. Chants of “Wells Fargo you’re the worst, put people and the planet first” were heard throughout the lobby of the Marriott hotel hosting the meeting.  Protestors playing plastic trombones added to the din. Amazon’s annual meeting in May 2018, was described as a “carnival atmosphere” due to a colorful and distracting array of protestors from drag queens demanding Amazon select a headquarters location in a “gay rights” state, to cargo pilots picketing over insufficient staffing, to corporate activists carrying giant puppet signs depicting CEO Jeff Bezos, all while the Rev. Jesse Jackson delivered a message against the company. Event security has evolved well beyon...

At Explore Secure the travel safety training arm of ETS Risk Management Inc we are dedicated to improving traveler safety and strongly advocate that all travelers – especially young or solo travelers, or people visiting higher risk environments consider how best to respond should a difficult situation emerge. This can be challenging – and making decisions when under pressure is never easy.   When traveling, or in a new or changing environment it is important to maintain awareness of your surroundings, the people around you, using all your senses and judgment to assess the immediate space around you – this is called situational awareness. This deliberate means of keeping track of your surroundings allows you to notice any changes from the normal which may potentially impact on your safety and security. The term situational awareness and how to improve it, train it and utilize it are discussed throughout the training courses we deliver. But what happens if an incident occurs that m...