When you travel are you prepared for an emergency?

[java]

Here in the tri state area our news is showing people stranded at JFK- no money- nothing waiting to get back to Europe.

It got me to thinking. What the heck would we do? I pack my first aid kit for trips, we carry credit cards for emergencies- but really I can't imagine having spent a week in a city- spending all my money. And then being stranded. I feel for people that are concerned about their jobs. If they don't get back soon they are afraid they'll be out of a job.

I guess I'm just rambling. Really just feeling so bad for the people stuck at the airport.
Have you ever been stuck in an airport?

 

[JVL1018]

Here in the tri state area our news is showing people stranded at JFK- no money- nothing waiting to get back to Europe.

It got me to thinking. What the heck would we do? I pack my first aid kit for trips, we carry credit cards for emergencies- but really I can't imagine having spent a week in a city- spending all my money. And then being stranded. I feel for people that are concerned about their jobs. If they don't get back soon they are afraid they'll be out of a job.

I guess I'm just rambling. Really just feeling so bad for the people stuck at the airport.
Have you ever been stuck in an airport?

Only for 9 hours one time, so not really.
I feel pretty confident we'd be okay stranded for a few days-we always have a CC and debit card with us, as well as some cash.. and as long as there was a working ATM, we could get cash from our accounts.
I am 99.99% sure my husband's job would understand if we were stranded somewhere due to a natural disaster. Even if we were gone for a week, it would be a huge hassle to post the job, or contact headhunters to find candidates, get in resumes, interview, background check and hire someone..easier for them to just wait for him to come back. LOL

 

[Silent1CB]

I do not like to rely on 1 method of payment when traveling. For instance, not just credit cards or ATM cards. Those systems have been known to go down due to huge snow storms or other huge problems. So I take a combination of credit, debit, cash and or check. Hopefully, one of them would still work.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

That would be an emergency and we do have a contingency plan.

We evacuated for a hurricane and stayed at Disney. Thought it would be only 2 nights and it ended up being 4 and twice the cost. All 4 days were an emergency for us--but the emergency lasted longer than anticipated.

In any case--we did have plans for that.

I only have been stuck in an airport once--and it was not fun and it was only overnight.

I'm sure there are other problems besides lack of money. The reason I was stuck in the airport--no hotel rooms available, even if I did have the money for one. That was for an airport closure due to icing. I was on the runway for 2 hours (pre-cell phone days and I didn't have a CC to use the airplane phone)....so all of us missed our opportunity to get a hotel room on that flight since folks sitting in the airport had access to phones the moment the airport was closed.

 

[NatashaDisneyCM]

I always do the spending money for like Disney...with a disney gift card, then I take a % of traveler checks, then I have a cash backup that I do not touch, (and some cash for tips)..and one card of course, so I usually have at least a 1000 backup, maybe not much, but something!

 

[hereyago]

You know, I was watching the news tonight and all of that would get on my nerves. And now looking at that situation, I don't really prepare for an emergency of that sort.

A couple years ago when planes sat on the tarmacs for hours on the news, I now pack snacks just in case that happens.

I can't imagine being there for how many days, no place really to sleep,hotels being full,etc.

 

[minkydog]

I've been stuck at the airport for as long as 12 hours, but that wasn't too awful. Last Friday we had a rollover crash while towing our trailer and lost almost everything. Unfortunately, all of our medications were inside the trailer and we found pills from one end of the rig to the other. All unusable. DH has heart disease and DS14 has seizures--they MUST have their meds every day and on time! DS wears Depends and we had only 2 in the car. We didn't get out of the ER until 12mn and this little town had rolled up the sidewalks. We were able to acquire snacks & toothbrushes at the one convenience store, but no Depends and no real food. DS wet the bed overnight and had to sit in his wet diaper in the morning until DH could find a store open.

Here's what I have learned:

Always carry with you the things you absolutely MUST have to get through 36 hours--meds, snacks, medical equipment, toothbrush, underwear. And if you're in a car, make sure these things are in a soft-side duffle bag or bookbag because if you crash this stuff is going to go flying right past your head. Ow~

Before you leave home call the credit card companies to let them know you're travelling.

If you take medications, have drug allergies, or have chronic conditions either make a hard copy to carry in your wallet or put it in your cell phone under ICE. And include your specialists' names & phone numbers.

And as soon as you realize that you're about to be stuck, start gathering your supplies. You don't wanna run out of Depends...

 

[handinpocket]

We usually camp. I do have credit cards and the SUV is chock full of food and vittles (canned and packaged) in case we run out of gas in a full blown blizzard or some such crazy scenario....lmao! We also keep jackets and extra clothes in the vehicle so, yeah, I'm prepared.

 

[Tinkh]

We took the ME from the CBR once and by the time we waited in line for 3 hours to check-in all the flights into Charlotte (where we were connecting) had been cancelled due to flash flooding. The airport put us up in a crappy hotel for the night and we left the next morning. I would have LOVED to get back to Disney for the night, but we had no choices really since it was so late. We were exhausted and just rolled with it. The airport gave everyone a voucher for the night's stay.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I guess I am an uber-planner because I always worry about being stuck so we mostly do direct flights and I board planes with all our medications in my purse and one sandwich + 1 drink per person and a change of clothes & PJ's, a portable DVD player for the kids or a laptop with a few DVD's. The only time I ever flew a connecting flight, Delta from Newark to MCO via Atlanta, I was so worried that I reserved a rental car in Atlanta, had a Map-quest of my route to WDW and had a list of hotels and hospitals in my carry-on. The reason why is I know too many people who were abused & neglected by the airlines, like my MIL who was trapped on a 90+ degree plane on the tarmac for 6 hours with a migraine, no medicine and puking or another friend who was grounded for 12 hours once and the airline never offered a hotel or anything. I think it's best to be self sufficient.

 

[OhMari]

I usually travel with a credit card that has a very high credit limit on it. I owned it for over 25 years, way back when credit cards were offering $50,000 credit lines. I use it once a year, just to keep it open for such emergencies.

In the United States, most of us can get to a car rental agency and drive home if planes were grounded. The only thing keeping people off the roads, is snow, ice and earth quakes, when the roads split open or sink holes. In Europe, most are stuck, but it sounds like many are getting on trains and traveling south, and trying to get to airports that are flying out towards Asia, then to the United States.

I saw a family from the UK, that flew into NJ from Orlando and they were suppose to catch a connecting flight in NJ to the UK. They are litteraly stranded. To bad, they didn't see that their flight was cancelled, they probably could of at least stayed in Orlando.

I saw on the news tonite that they really don't know, when the volcano is going to stop spewing ash. They said, it is even stronger, and not weakening.

Isn't Disney sending 2 of their cruise ships over to Europe soon?

 

[Hidden_Mickey]

I thought you can't bring any food or drink into airports any more? I am generally an OCD planner, but when it comes to stuff like acts of nature, I just play the denial game , I find it is easier than stressing over it...

But, it's always in the back of my mind. I would like to travel to Europe, like the UK or maybe Italy, but I always have that fear in the background. You never know what might happen. At least if we travel in the continental US, unless one half of the country falls in the ocean, you can always get home some how. But an ocean? Yikes..

I think we are spoiled by the way we live today, and forget that we live on this planet at its mercy. We are lucky to be here at all, IMHO. Being inconvenienced by an earthquake or volcano stinks, but it's better than being dead.

I have a friend who was supposed to fly from NY to Italy today... She has no idea when or if she will get out. She has paid $3000 to attend a conference and rent an apartment for a week, and both are nonrefundable I'm afraid to ask if the airfare will be refunded.

 

[Catira]

A couple of years ago, we were coming home from an international flight. First, we were going to have a stop in Miami, sleep there that night and next morning fly to our final destination. Well,we arrive in Miami but our luggage had been lost. Luckily, I had packed most essentials into our carry on bag. These included, pjs, one set of clothing for each of us, toothbrush, toothpaste, and our kiddos asthma medications. We were at least ok for the night. As far as credit cards, I am in the habit of contacting cc companies if we will be out of the country, and make sure to take 3 cards between my husband and myself. Too many stories of credit limits reduced while people are on vacation. Depending on where we are going and duration of trip, we like to make sure we have enough cash in case of an emergency. As of today, we have never been stranded in an airport. Flights delayed,have been tolerable with my kiddo's portable dvd player, ipod, nintendo dsi. I always have a book to read so at least I have something to do while we wait. Light snacks, are always a must with our family.

 

[PixieTopaz]

Always carry with you the things you absolutely MUST have to get through 36 hours--meds, snacks, medical equipment, toothbrush, underwear. And if you're in a car, make sure these things are in a soft-side duffle bag or bookbag because if you crash this stuff is going to go flying right past your head. Ow~

...

Great ideas-esp about the meds. I take a fillable pill box and only take for the # of days we're gone-but anything could happen!

 

[hereyago]

I thought you can't bring any food or drink into airports any more?

You can't bring liquids from home, but you can buy at airport after going through security. as for snacks, i bring candy and things that security would allow.

 

[minkydog]

Great ideas-esp about the meds. I take a fillable pill box and only take for the # of days we're gone-but anything could happen!

Yeah, that's what we did too--and the wreck ejected all our meds. We found about 140 pills mixed in with the dirt, glass, and food inside the camper. Thankfully, at the ER they were able to give us all our night-time doses and some prescriptions so we could get the rest in the a.m.

 

[LuvOrlando]

sorry to hijack but minkydog, I am so sorry to read this. I remember you posting about an upcoming trip and your DH being in poor shape so he was of little help and how hard it was to care for your DS without DH's assistance. I am so sorry to hear you all were banged up. Are you ok, is your family ok, what a shame.

Nothing worse than trouble with medications. Although my migraines aren't life threatening they are crippling so I have my pills scattered all over the house because when they hit I sometimes can't move at all until the medicine works... then there is the pain filled stupor where I can't think clearly so everything needs to be easy to get to. Actually, my medicine is not just all over the house but in both cars, my purse and my DH even gets a tablet to carry for me just in case when we are on vacation. What a nightmare you had. I wonder, do they still make those airtight nitroglycerin pill holding necklaces? Maybe you or DH could get one to hold 2 of DS's and 2 of DH's tablets so you are never in danger like that again... that could have been so much worse if you were stranded in a remote location.

 

[minkydog]

sorry to hijack but minkydog, I am so sorry to read this. I remember you posting about an upcoming trip and your DH being in poor shape so he was of little help and how hard it was to care for your DS without DH's assistance. I am so sorry to hear you all were banged up. Are you ok, is your family ok, what a shame.

Nothing worse than trouble with medications. Although my migraines aren't life threatening they are crippling so I have my pills scattered all over the house because when they hit I sometimes can't move at all until the medicine works... then there is the pain filled stupor where I can't think clearly so everything needs to be easy to get to. Actually, my medicine is not just all over the house but in both cars, my purse and my DH even gets a tablet to carry for me just in case when we are on vacation. What a nightmare you had. I wonder, do they still make those airtight nitroglycerin pill holding necklaces? Maybe you or DH could get one to hold 2 of DS's and 2 of DH's tablets so you are never in danger like that again... that could have been so much worse if you were stranded in a remote location.

Yes, we're all bruised and battered, but we'll be okay eventually. It could have been much worse in so many ways. But it's all working out okay, and GEICO has been just wonderful! You know, life can change on a dime. We gotta live to its fullest.

 

[NotUrsula]

Yes, you can still get the pill-capsule necklaces, and keychains, too (though that wouldn't much help in a wreck if the keys could not be removed from the ignition.) There is a site calling forgettingthepill.com that has a huge variety of them.

I had a couple of aunts who were private-duty nurses who traveled with wealthy clients, and when abroad, they guarded their clients' meds like Secret Service Agents do the launch code briefcase. What they used to do was to dispense the pills into a holder, then photocopy all the scrips on full-size paper, wrap the scrips around the pillbox, secure the bundle with a couple of rubber bands, and put the entire package inside a ziploc bag. Then they carried it in a money belt so that if someone snatched a client's bag, it would not be lost. They stashed 2 more copies of the scrips in various places around the baggage, too.

If I had any serious chronic medical conditions, I would carry a thumb drive with scans of my medical records on it. (I did do this when I was dealing with a high-risk pregnancy.)

As for us, yes, whenever we enter an airport, we are carrying 24 hours worth of all essentials in our carryons, and a fair amount of cash and high-limit credit cards. The volcano ground-stop isn't too bad as these things go, because life on the ground is still normal, so hotels are available and roads are passable, and the electricity and phones still work. A snowstorm or hurricane is much worse, because then you really cannot leave the airport. One tip I always give people: if it looks like you are going to be stranded in an airport, shop. Right away. Buy all the food and drink that you can stash for 24 hours, especially in a snow or hurricane groundstop, because the vendors run out of edibles VERY quickly.

One thing that I also always do is to program the numbers of all the airlines, hotel chains and car rental companies into my cell phone. I also keep them written in a little notebook I carry. I also always carry my cell phone charger and a stubby extension cord when travelling, so that I can share power outlets in airports to keep my phone charged.

 

[barkley]

just as a head's up-if you take certain "controlled" meds and will be traveling so much as out of state, take enough for an emergency extended stay. in some states these meds cannot be refilled for out of state residents. even if you've got the type that's refillable (as some of the controlled migrane meds i have are) and you go to the same chain pharmacy as you use at home, state law forbids an out of state resident to get a re-fill. you would have to get an instate doctor to write the script and jump through hoops to get it filled for you. if it's like the med my ds takes which takes a paper script, picked up in person every month and hand carried to the pharmacy it would be almost impossible to get a refill.

for this reason i always pack 10 days more of a script than i need if traveling in the u.s. i figure if something happens to delay our return home it's enough time to work out a way to get home or arrange something.

we always travel with extra meds, extra cash, and now that i recently discovered them-these cool coverter cords that you can use to recharge a cell phone with either a car or an electrical outlet.

we learned when our area received record breaking snow fall in 2009 that resulted in our evacuation from our roof collapsed home during a massive power outage that while available lodging and buisnesses may have emergency power back up that provides heating and some lights-it does'nt provide what's nescessary to make their credit/debit card systems work-and in the event of competing customers for lodging/services/articles of need:CASH IS KING.