Safety Tips

Out & About

When you leave the conference, remember to take your name badge off. There is safety in numbers, so always find a buddy to walk with if you are going out for a night on the town. Avoid dark alleys or deserted areas.

At the Conference

Be aware of the locations of emergency exits. Don’t leave purses and laptops unattended. If the conference requests emergency contact information or has a place in your conference materials to include emergency medical information, please fill it out.

Flying

Make sure you label your luggage inside and out. One of the main reasons airlines have trouble getting lost luggage back to its owner is that the outside tag has fallen off. It doesn’t hurt to take a photo of your luggage so you don’t have to work so hard to remember what it looks like if you have to describe it to the agent. Put laptops under the seat and not in the overhead compartment where they can easily be damaged or stolen. 

During Your Hotel Stay

  • At The Front Desk
    Refuse any room keys you won’t need, and if any strangers are standing within earshot, quietly request that the front desk attendant not say the number of your room aloud. It is typically written on the envelope that contains your key, and they can point to that.
  • Entering The Room
    Before you enter the room for the first time, knock loudly on the door. Hotels have been known to double assign rooms in error. Once in, check the room: if anything seems like it’s been disturbed, leave the room, alert the desk immediately and ask to change rooms. If your room is fine, locate the shortest fire escape route on the back of the door and remember which way you should exit the room in case of emergency. Don’t forget to keep your ID with you at all times. And, while you’re inside the room, lock ALL of the locks. They’re there for a reason.
  • When You Go Out
    When you leave, turn on your radio to make it sound like someone is “home.” Thieves that pass by won’t even consider stopping if they think a guest is in the room. You may also want to hang a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on the door, which also makes it appear to be inhabited.
  • When You Are Back In For The Night
    Try to park near the entrance or under a light. If you have the sense that anyone is following you, go to the lobby or other public place and only proceed to your room when you feel safe. If you have any concerns for your safety, ask the hotel for an escort to your car or room.
  • Throughout Your Stay
    Be aware of uninvited guests. Room service, housekeeping, or other legitimate visitors may come knocking, but always check your peephole before opening the door. If someone claims they are ‘maintenance’ or ‘security’ and you haven’t been warned they need to enter the room, call the front desk and verify that they sent someone. Even if the person is in uniform that doesn’t mean they’re legitimate.
  • In Case Of Emergency
    If you hear a fire alarm or smell smoke, attempt to exit the room per the instructions on your door. At no time during a fire should you use the elevator – always opt for the stairwell unless you have a disability that prevents you from it.
  • When You Check Out
    As you leave the hotel, double-check the safe, drawers, night stands and any other places you may have left belongings. Never leave the plastic keys when you checkout; turn them into the front desk. They can contain personal information.
  • In The Car
    Don’t leave any valuables visible in your car at a hotel, period. Thieves know that folks pack nice clothes, electronic equipment and extra money while they’re traveling. If you can’t fit everything into your trunk, carry it to your room. Also, if your vehicle allows access to the trunk from the back seat, then keep everything with you.

Safety Apps

Noonlight: If you’re worried about your safety, you open the app with one tap then hold your thumb on the big button and just keep walking. When you take your thumb off the button, you have 10 seconds to put in a code. If the code is not entered, the system is notified, and they send your location, name and number to the nearest police station.

Stay Safe: This app lets you set up a network of emergency contacts. As you’re heading out, you start a session with a time frame. After the time elapses, check-in, or messages will automatically be sent to your contacts with your GPS location.

bSafe: Offers SOS alarms, location sharing, and fake calls to help you ease out of sticky situations.