National Park System - Hike Safe Program

Summer is almost here, and with the nicer weather, people are looking to get out, explore nature, hike, bike, rock climb, paddle, and do countless other things in the wilderness, including at the amazing United States National Park System. Our friends at the NPS have put together a great “Hike Safe Program” that we thought would be great to share. Enjoy the outdoors! And, be safe out there…

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hikingsafety.htm

• Have a plan

• Inform someone of where you're going and when you plan to return, utilizing Virtual Halo’s “Going Out” feature if you don’t have anyone handy to tell before your trip

• Keep a flashlight and whistle with you

• Eat well, stay hydrated, carry plenty of water

• Stay on the trail

• Ask for HELP!

• Familiarize yourself with the area - use of a map

• Expect changes in the weather

Top 25 Travel Tips for 2021

After traveling the globe for the past 23 years, I've learned a lot about personal safety when traveling - especially solo. Here are my top 25 safety tips for avoiding trouble on your trip:

1. Beware of scammers, pick-pockets and getting robbed.
2. Write down emergency contacts with phone numbers and email addresses.
3. Keep copies of your ID, credit cards and passport somewhere safe other than your wallet / purse.
4. Check the State Department website before you travel internationally.
5. Lock up your valuables.
6. Get travel evacuation insurance.
7. Be careful of not getting sick.
8. Don't drink un-bottled water.
9. Ask locals for advice.
10. Register with your embassy.
11. Email your itinerary to family or friends.
12. Don't share too much personal information with strangers, including where you're staying or your itinerary.
13. Don't do stupid things for photos.
14. Splurge on extra safety
15. Be aware of the cultural implecations of your clothing; try to blend in, not stand out.
16. Stay "tethered" to your bag.
17. Learn basic self-defense.
18. Be situationally aware.
19. Tell your bank and credit card companies where you'll be traveling.
20. Hide emergency cash - you will almost always need it.
21. Use ATM's wisely.
22. Stop using your back pocket.
23. Travel in numbers when possible.
24. Pack a first aid kit.
25. Trust your instincts!

Bonus for Women: The travel safety tips I've listed above are equally important for both men and women; I don't think the ability to travel safely has anything to do with gender.

Unfortunately, women are victims of violence everywhere, including here in North America. Women worried about beign assaulted or harrrasedmight prefer to visit a local street festival or market or nightclub in a grup rather than alone.

6 Tips For A Safe & Healthy New Years Eve

Whether you choose to ring in the New Year in Times Square with tens of thousands of strangers or in your living room with close friends, ring in the new year with a party. Even though the it’s time to celebrate, make sure to follow these safety tips to keep your New Year’s Eve celebration healthy and safe.

1.) Drink Responsibly 

Go easy on the alcohol, too. Pacing yourself prevents alcohol poisoning and ensures you can pay attention to your surroundings as you act smart and stay safe.

You may also consider skipping the alcohol this year. While this may not sound like the most fun option, it is definitely the safest one. If you know you’re going to be the person driving on New Year’s Eve, then the only way to ensure your sobriety is to skip the drinks. A little bit of responsibility can go a long way when drunk drivers are on the road and cops are around every corner

2.) Navigate Crowds

Whether you’re a guy or gal, grab a friend and travel in a group for safety. Keep an eye on your surroundings, never go anywhere with strangers and never leave your beverage unattended. Leave your valuables at home and hold your phone and wallet in a front pocket, too, especially if you’re headed to a crowded celebration downtown.

Have a plan and let your friends know where you’ll be and a plan to check in when you’re home.

Download and configure the Virtual Halo personal safety app on your iPhone; it’ll work on your Apple Watch as well. If you’re in a situation where you’re uncomfortable, an effortless push on the SOS button will let your emergency contacts know that you need help and your exact location.

3.) Designate A Driver

If you’re planning to drink, do not drive. Don’t let your drinking friends drive, either. Instead, choose a designated driver, hire a taxi, plan ahead with an Uber or Lyft, take public transportation or invite everyone to crash in your living room.

If you’re abstaining from alcohol, remember that winter weather can make roads slippery, particularly when you travel after dark. Drive carefully as you leave early, go slow and maintain a safe distance from other vehicles. Of course, if the roads are too bad, stay home and watch the party on TV instead of going out this year.

4.) Decide Where You’re Staying The Night

This isn’t one of those nights where you “play it by ear.” Make a plan of where you’re going to stay and whom you’re going to stay with and let a close friend or family member know. When celebrating, it’s a much smarter move to crash on a friends couch than get into an accident on the road with someone else that hasn’t been as responsible as you. Asking your host to stay the night in advance is one of the best ways to have a fun night and still stay safe.

5.) Ban Guns and Fireworks

Stick with noise makers and sparklers if you need special effects on New Year’s Eve. Otherwise, an inexperienced user could kill or injure someone. Plus, shooting guns and fireworks could break local noise ordinances and other laws.

6.) Handle Food Safely

Appetizers, hors d’oeuvre and snacks keep the party going. Heat food adequately and refrigerate leftovers promptly, though, to prevent food poisoning. Check in with guests about possible food allergies, too, as you safely indulge in party foods.

Ringing in the new year is a fun tradition. Use these tips to keep the party, your guests and you safe and healthy.

Improve Your Health By Focusing On Your Personal Safety

There are plenty of potentially dangerous health risks that people routinely avoid every day. But if you want to keep your personal health in check, it’s a good idea to start with your safety. When you feel safe, you feel comfortable, which naturally reduces your stress levels. And since stress can lead to high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease, keeping your mind and body relaxed and as stress-free as possible is one of the keys to leading a healthy, fulfilling life.

Personal Safety = Less Stress = Better Health

How are you keeping yourself healthy? When you think of health, your first inclination may be to imagine running, eating well or even practicing yoga; but do you consider your mental well-being? Your surroundings have been shown to have an impact on your mental state. When you feel safe, you feel comfortable and your mind is at ease, but when you don’t feel safe, your adrenaline races through your veins, putting your mind and body on high alert in preparation for the fight or flight response. This puts stress on your body both mentally and physically, which is why taking care of your personal safety is actually an integral part of being healthy.

Stay Alert to Avoid Danger

To stay safe, start by trusting your instinct; it’s usually very accurate. If a situation feels dangerous or you think there’s something off, there’s a reason why. Get to safety as quickly as possible and call for help. And always try to rely on the buddy system when you’re traveling to new areas or going on an adventure, like camping or hiking. Whether your buddy is another friend, family member or even your dog, having that extra safety net can come in handy if the situation arises.

Take Extra Precautions to Keep Yourself Safe

Even if you are traveling alone, always make sure you have a means to get help if you need it. With modern smart technology, it’s easier than ever before to stay connected and keep yourself safe. If you download Virtual Halo, your personal safety app, to your phone, you can link it to your Apple Watch so getting help is as quick and easy as pushing an SOS button.

Why You Should Always Let Someone Know Where You Are

Have you ever gotten lost?

It’s never a fun feeling. It happens to even the best outdoors people. And scientists now think that when we’re lost we do really walk in circles.

While it may not have been for a very long amount of time, most of us can remember getting temporarily turned around at some point. And if you do remember, you can likely recall the fear as well. But that fear shouldn’t deter anyone from enjoying adventure activities.

Venturing out hiking or camping, travelling across the country or foreign countries. It’s fun and a wonderful experience, but obviously it comes with risks. In such a mobile world, it’s critical to let people know where you are. Why? Because you never know what could happen. And it’s important to have a backup plan in case something happens.And it’s also something good so your loved ones don’t worry about you when you’re out enjoying the world.

Here are a few tips for letting people know where you are:

Tip #1. Expect the Unexpected

You never truly know what is going to happen when you’re on an adventure. You can plan and plan and most times things will be fine. But it only takes one time for things to go haywire. It’s critically important that you expect, or at least plan, for the unexpected. A great way to be prepared in the event of an emergency is to let someone know where you are.

Whether you are on a road trip across the country, hiking or camping in the woods, or simply running out to the store, let someone know your planned route. You might think that your plans will change. You can let the person know, but still give them a basic itinerary. The more information they have the more they can assist if you get lost.

Tip #2. Provide A Basic Time Frame

While you’re out, try to give someone a time frame to expect you back. It doesn’t have to be exact. Within a day or so. This way, if you haven’t contacted them or made it home when you said you would, they can be on the lookout for you. If your plans change just let your person know by checking-in. Just a quick message to let them know you’re doing fine. This way, if they can’t reach you, they’ll have an idea of what’s going on. Then, if something does happen, they know to react.

Tip #3. Stop & Assess

A very common scenario when you get that dreaded feeling of being lost is to move frantically. It’s natural to want to quickly get back on track. To feel at ease again. You want to avoid this tendency.

The best course of action is to STOP.

Stop. Think. Observe. Plan.

Give yourself time to take a breath and to figure out where you’ve been. How long you’ve been walking. Odds are pretty good that with a clear mind and a little rest that you can find your way back to your trail.

Tip #4. Take Advantage of Modern Technology

With everything going on in life, it can be difficult to remember to update someone at all times. Thankfully, our phones are a simple way to take care of that for us. With convenient, simple apps like Virtual Halo, you can send a quick check in to let them know you’re fine, or send an SOS if you aren’t.

With Virtual Halo, you have an app that puts your safety first and makes it easy to let someone know how you’re doing and if you need help. This quick alert is critical in an emergency situation to keep you and loved ones safe.

Exploring and adventuring are amazing aspects of life. It’s great to get away from the business of the city and all the modern technology. But you can unplug and still have the nice safety net that technology provides. You can still get away from it all, but it’s good to have a backup plan so that when something does happen you can quickly get back on track and work on your next adventure.