No one wants to think about the worst-case scenario when planning a holiday, but it is important to be prepared. After all, there’s no harm in knowing what to do in case something comes up on your holiday.

Know The Emergency Numbers

So, whether it is an ambulance, the police or a fire engine you need, you’ll want to know the number to call them on. Even if your phone isn’t set up for use abroad, you will still be able to call the emergency services.

Country	Phone Number
United Kingdom	999
USA	911
Europe	112
Canada	911
Australia	000
New Zealand	111
Japan	110 for Police 119 for Ambulance or Fire
Brazil	190 for Police 192 for Ambulance 193 for Fire
China	110 for Police 120 for Ambulance 119 for Fire
Hong Kong	999
The Bahamas	911 or 919
Barbados	911
india	112
Cape Verde	132 for Police 130 for Ambulance 131 for Fire
Eygpt	122 for Police 123 for Ambulance 180 for Fire

Then it is also advisable to set up some emergency contacts. These are numbers that can be contacted if something were to happen to you. They include your next of kin and are especially important if the event has caused you to lose consciousness.

Some people have even created cards to keep in their wallets or phone cases with their emergency numbers on them so that they are easy to fins and you will be able to remember them. We haven’t tried this idea out yet, but it sounds good.

Natural Disasters Abroad

Hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, storms; how many natural disasters do you know how to survive?

Coming from England we don’t really have many natural disasters. In class we talked about what to do in the event of an earthquake, and we obviously had fire drills, but otherwise we didn’t really discuss safety during a natural disaster.

Because of this, for our trip to America, I began looking into the recommendations for what to do in the event of a natural disaster and how we would know about them. This is something I would recommend looking into if like us, natural disasters aren’t something you accustomed to. It may seem like I’m paranoid, but it could just save your life.

Violence

This is something that is good to know regardless of whether you are on holiday or not. You hear about so many mass shootings and other terror events in the news, it’s a little scary to think that you could get caught up in something like that. This is especially something you don’t even consider a possibility on your holiday. If this is an issue where you are planning to stay, or you have slight anxiety about it, it might be a good idea to look at survival tips for incidents like this.

Medical Emergencies Abroad

Whether you are injured abroad or fell ill suddenly, this can put a damper on your holiday. Nine times out of ten this is the scenario you are considering when looking into holiday insurance.

This will be one of the more likely emergencies that you will face when abroad. You could trip on a curb and injure yourself or pick up an ear infection from the water. It is not something you plan but is rather easy to happen.

The only way to prepare for this scenario is to get insurance and keep your emergency contact information updated and accessible.

Theft Abroad

Something that is common wherever you are, no matter whether you are on holiday or not is theft. Believe it or not you are actually more likely to get targeted as a tourist.

I can remember all of the tips that Dad gave me when we were travelling to London, especially because several years ago, Harry and I had stopped at a McDonalds after an event and a situation that Dad had talked about happened in front of me. Harry had gone to the toilet and as I was sat there a teenage girl had put her phone down on the table to chat to a friend, a man walked past and made to pick up the phone. It was only her quick reactions that stopped him from succeeding.

Always remember to keep your wits about you and be aware of where your belongings are at all times. Some women like to attach bells to their bag zips so that they are alerted to any and all movement, this would annoy me too much, but I would recommend trying it out if you are travelling somewhere that is notorious for pickpockets.

This is a scenario where you will need to know the number for the police force and potentially the vocabulary to express what has happened if you are in a country with a different language to your own.

Lost Passport Abroad

Another common emergency that you can have while abroad is the loss of your passport. Obviously, you will have had it with you when travelling out, but it is possible to leave it on a plane or have it fall out of a pocket. I am happy to report that this has never happened to me (touch wood!) but it is something I have thought about.

This is a really worrying situation because it could result in you being stranded in a foreign country. It can also take a while to resolve and be expensive from what I’ve heard.

It is easier to resolve this issue it is advisable that you keep a copy of your passport, another form of ID and a travel itinerary. These documents help to prove who you are and your travel plans. You may need to visit an embassy to get an emergency travel document, or you could be lucky enough to apply online.

Missing Luggage Abroad

One of the most talked about emergencies that you can face abroad is lost luggage. It was a problem that was in the back of my mind on our journey to America; I couldn’t help but think about the amount of time and money that we would have lost if this scenario had come to pass.

Having missing luggage is less of an issue it it’s covered by your insurance but even so it will be an awful start to your holiday and create issues from the moment you land.

The best way to resolve this is to get in touch with the airline and be aware of their solutions and policies.

Scary Situations

I have heard so many horror stories of things that can happen to people while travelling, mainly to women travelling alone. One has involved a woman’s taxi taking her to the wrong place and only turning around after her talking to a friend on the phone about meeting them in a few minutes.

This is an emergency that is absolutely terrifying, and I hope you never have to experience this. The only way to minimise the possibility of this is to be alert and aware of your surroundings. Something I’m always told is not to act like a tourist which basically means to fit in and act like you know where you’re going.

If this is something that worries you, there are many different videos available both on YouTube and Tiktok that give tips on how to escape or seek help in this very situation.

Conclusion

Even if nothing happens, and I hope it never does, it is best to be prepared. Make sure you look into how best to handle every emergency as this list is in no way exhaustive and there may be other ways to deal with the issues that I have mentioned.