Deadly fire sweeps Ecuador club

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Title – Deadly fire sweeps Ecuador club
Source – www.bbc.co.uk
Date – 20th April 2008

Much as people ridicule health & safety officers and procedures here in the UK as over-zealous, there is good reason for the vast majority of the rules we have in place and enforcement ensures that as far as is possible we are protected from rogue operators and from those whose ignorance puts us unwittingly in danger. We are educated to follow certain procedures that protect us from harm.

Ask anyone what they will do when sitting in a public premises un the UK in the event of a fire and most will give you the same answer, they point towards the door they came in through as they way they would exit. Ask them what they would do were that exit blocked and most will start to look up and around for the little green ‘running man’ fire exit sign and indicate that they would leave through that exit. But very few would appreciate how effective these simple EU wide measures are in protecting life.

Fire has always been a part of our environment, since the stone age when we first learned to capture it and use it to our advantage, but we have never fully managed to control it. Unfortunately fire still causes thousands of deaths each year in all sorts of different ways; forest fire, brush fire and fires in urban areas and buildings. Nightclub fires are not uncommon and due to the nature of these premises the results can be tragic.

In this case a fire in a club in Ecuador has resulted in the deaths of 15 and serious injuries to a further 35 people and unfortunately it is not an altogether uncommon feature of these venues in developing countries. It is equally worrying that fires are reasonably common in lodgings in developing countries, from hostels to hotels. Often cursory fire safety measures are in place to satisfy local rules and laws, but these procedures are not wholly understood or enforced by staff.

In tragedy after tragedy at nightclubs the same basic mistake is the cause of high fatality rates they build fire exits and then lock them!

Go back to our scenario earlier, we are taught to follow the directions from an early age, we hear a fire alarm and we look for an exit sign and follow it; but if that sign leads us to a locked fire door we are trapped and by the time we realise, it can often already be too late. Not only are fire safety regulations often ignored in some developing countries but buildings may not be built to the same standard with the same fire protection or are built of materials that are highly flammable.

As travellers we need to be aware of these deficiencies, we need to take particular care when choosing accommodation or when visiting venues that may be difficult to get out of in the event of a fire or similar emergency.

Recently in the Philippines, I left my hotel room in Manila, came down 5 stories and into the lobby only to find it full of smoke and several fire engines outside fighting a fire. It was clearly serious, but no one had considered sounding the alarm or calling the rooms. Good fortune rather than best practice saved me and the other guests that day.

Just doing a few simple checks before you start can give you a huge advantage when things go wrong. You will simply not always find places that meet the standards we expect at home, but never be scared or embarrassed to say ‘no’ when those standards slip too far and become risks. When you book a room, take 5 minutes to walk around and have a look at where you are. Check how you would leave if you needed to and importantly how you would leave if your original route is blocked; try and get a room away from the high risk areas like generator and kitchens; and when going out steer clear of venues that are clearly unsafe for the number of people they let in and again check out your exits in advance so that it is second nature how to get out. That often means having a quick look at the outside of a fire door to make sure it is not blocked or locked. Generally if you notice that fire doors or escape routes are blocked or locked it is a good indication that fire safety is a low priority and it may be time to choose a different venue for your night out. There is no need to be paranoid, but there is a need to be safe.

Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety & Awareness workshop provides practical safety and cultural awareness advice to those planning to travel. We examine accommodation and personal safety issues in the countries you are visiting. Paranoia can ruin a trip but sensible and easy to follow steps can allow you to enjoy your travels more, with the peace of mind it offers.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com or join us on Facebook. For a complete list of Blog entries visit our National Press Archive page.

The Gap Year Gamble

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Title – The Gap Year Gamble
Source – The Independent
Date – 15th April 2008

Following the tragic accident during which 4 young British gap year students and their tour leader died in a bus accident, the debate in the press about whether the risk in taking a Gap Year in developing countries is worth the reward has ignited once again.

Many people have a point of view on the risks involved in such travel and volunteering abroad and it is an industry that has grown out of all proportion over the past few years. This means that choosing the good companies amongst the profiteers, is not always straight forward. The key is in the preparation and planning. Don’t rely on information provided by people with a vested interest in profit from your booking.

Independent travellers go to travel agents seeking out cheap flights and helpful information, they take these ‘fellow travellers’ at their word rather than doing their research first so that they can challenge the assertions of people who ultimately have a job to do which is to sell you those flights and maximise profit for their company. I am not suggesting that travel agents are all crooks or comparing them to ‘second-hand car salesmen’, but they are working in commercial companies and much as they might offer useful information they are limited by their circumstance. Often specific travel agents are linked to specific airlines, even if they don’t have exclusivity contracts; they usually have preferred suppliers that generate better commissions then others. At the worst end of the scale I have heard them provide recommendations that are wholly wrong and which potentially place the customer in harm’s way and at the best end of the spectrum I have seen them offer excellent value for money and great advice. But if you go in without having done your research, don’t expect to come out with the best deal.

Taking advice from the right people is important and the best place to start is to use your own instincts, but to have instincts you must first either have some knowledge and to gain that knowledge you must do your research or seek out impartial advice from people who do not have a vested interest in selling you their product.

The same can be said for almost every element of independent travel or gap years, research is everything and being prepared for the experiences you will face does not detract from the experiences you will have, it will add too them. Too many trips are ruined by the feeling of isolation and being out of your depth when you arrive, many ‘gappers’ return home before the end of their trip because they were simply not emotionally of physically prepared. They had heard or read stories of adventure and excitement and assumed it was that easy, buy a ticket and everything else falls into place. The most streetwise, fall by the wayside when their world is turned upside down and everything they take for granted at home is alien to them on their arrival. But for those who prepare properly the experience can be one that changes them completely for the better and one they will never forget.

As Charlotte Hindle author of the Lonely Planet’s ‘The Gap Year Book’ is quoted as saying in this article “every gap year student should have some skills training to help them travel in a more sensible and informed way. There are very few things in life that we expect to go off and do with no training, why do we assume that travelling in the developing world can be achieved without preparation”

Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshop sets those attending on the right path, no one can do the research for you, that is not effective, our workshop is not an alternative to your own research, but we provide you with the essential building blocks and knowledge to ensure that you planning is comprehensive and effective.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com or join us on Facebook. For a complete list of Blog entries visit our National Press Archive page.

Families pay tribute to Britons killed in Ecuador bus crash

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Title – Families pay tribute to Britons killed in Ecuador bus crash
Source – The Independent
Date – 15th April 2008

This incident that left 5 girls dead and five families devastated was a tragic accident and no amount of training, research or preparation would have made any difference; the circumstances that led up to the crash are not yet known, but it does seem to be a road accident that could happen anywhere in the world including outside the very homes we live in here in the UK. That it took place so far from the homes of those involved makes the tragedy that much more pronounced and that those involved were young adults starting out on their own for the first time and at the beginning of the adventure of a life time which they were so brave to embark on, makes this story sadder than any words can express.

But it is to the families and friends of those involved that our thoughts go. No family should have to go through such pain and their loss is something that no words or actions can heal.

The reaction of the family and friends of those involved in this accident has been inspirational, that they can be so strong and so positive in their grief is the greatest attribute to their children and the strength of their families. Often the snap judgement in such cases is to regret allowing people to start out on these adventures and some press articles and web blogs have questioned the merits of Gap Years; but the families have not once questioned the merits of their children setting out on these adventures. They believed in the spirit of their children and they admired their courage and it is in this confidence that they celebrate their lives and want to share with others the exceptional character of their children.

Setting off on a Gap Year is not ever going to be risk free, but going into any town in the UK is not risk free. What we have to do is minimise this risk and be sensible about what we do and where we go. In this case they had done their planning and had chosen to go with a company they had researched thoroughly. Many of those who have survived and friends have mentioned that this type of travel is not without risk and they are right, they have also said that life without risk is life without reward and this too is right. But risk for the sake of it is wrong. Reducing risk to a minimum to claim the reward is the right balance providing the risk is within acceptable levels.

Travel by road is dangerous in the UK and it generally just gets more dangerous in other countries, sometimes this is to the point of making the risk almost unacceptable. Often the way of reducing that risk is by using local drivers, who understand the road conditions and the ‘rules’ of the road in the country you are visiting. Even local drivers come with different standards and it is certainly worth reducing the risk further by using reputable companies. Something which seems to have been the case here.

But to dwell on the reasons for this accident is not beneficial here as this does seem to be a tragic accident. What is important is to ensure that we heed the advice of the families involved who have been so brave and talked about their loss, that this accident does not put other off going on Gap Years. Travel is as they have explained, an experience that broadens the mind and the spirit, there is risk in everything we do. Risk itself should not prevent people from the wonderful adventures that lie out there to be discovered.

The world is undoubtedly a sadder place for the loss of those involved in this accident, but I hope their spirit of adventure lives on to encourage others to follow their path that although ultimately cut short provides such a positive influence on all who read about their lives

To their family and friends we send our condolences and our admiration for their courage in them encouraging others to follow the example set by their children.

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com or join us on Facebook. For a complete list of Blog entries visit our National Press Archive page.

Ready To Travel

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Title – Ready To Travel
Source – The Times
Date – 15th April 2008

Read the statistics in this article and it might put you off travel completely, a total of 394 deaths between Thailand, India and Australia each year. But these countries received nearly 2 million visitors and in total across the world only 230,000 people took gap years. So how do these figures add up? Most of the deaths in these statistics were from natural causes, older travellers visiting relatives or ‘retiring’ to these popular destinations. It is true that some statistics put ‘serious incidents’ happening to gap year students as high as 1 in 4, but don’t be scared of statistics like these thrown in without context. The vast majority of gap years pass off without incident and those taking gap years come back with experiences, skills and confidence that enhance the rest of their lives.

Travelling is ‘never’ without risk; but a better description is that travel is ‘not without increased risk’ as our lives already involve risk every day. But in our everyday lives we manage risk effectively. When we cross the road, we look left and we look right, we manage the risk. The same should be the case when we travel, if we are visiting countries where standards are very different we have to learn quickly and prepare well to manage the additional risk that these differences may present.

A good example of this is road transport. In the UK it is heavily regulated. Speed limits are strictly controlled as are all other rules of the road, the roads are ‘well’ maintained, people have to pass a strict test to qualify for a licence to drive and our vehicles are maintained through MOTs. This is certainly not always the case in other countries; especially developing countries where there is simply not the investment available to enforce these strict standards; in some countries there seem to be no rules at all. Here local knowledge is essential and choosing your driver, vehicle carefully reduces the risk considerably, but you have to know what to look for in the first place, where does that knowledge come from?

Risks have to always be put into context, they are undoubtedly greater when travelling, but managed correctly they are easily outweighed by the rewards. Gap Year and Independent Travel is undoubtedly an experience that helps individuals to ‘grow’ to ‘mature’ to change the direction of their lives and to enhance their future opportunities. It is an opportunity that when presented should not be missed. Certainly it should not be missed because of fear of the risks, maybe changes need to be made to original plans if they were unsuitable for any reason, but change and not cancellation is the key. Don’t cancel a trip, prepare for it and manage the risks so they are reduced to ‘acceptable’ levels.

Travel is not meant to always be easy, but it is also not meant to be so difficult it takes away the fun. Ultimately it has to be fun, ultimately you have to have amazing experiences and ultimately there have to be some challenges. The ultimate goal is that your time passes off without incident and a substantial part of that is down to you. It is always surprising the number of incidents that happen to independent travellers that are wholly avoidable by taking precautions that would not take anything away from the experience itself.

Our Gap Year and Independent Travel Safety and Awareness workshop can help you to gain the essential skills and knowledge to set you on your way to a safer more fulfilling travel experience. Our travel specialists have two things in common they love talking about travel and they love travelling. People setting off on a gap year or independent travel experience need to prepare before they leave and not assume that general life experience in the UK prepares them in any way for the day they find themselves lost in northern Sumatra in a small town where no one speaks any English in the middle of the monsoon season; I guarantee there is nothing you have experienced in the UK or that your parents may have taught you that will prepare you for that; and I should know, it has happened to me!

Please visit our website at www.safegapyear.com or join us on Facebook. For a complete list of Blog entries visit our National Press Archive page.