STEP - Safe Traveler Enrollment Program

1,066 Views | 4 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by mike073
mike073
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AG

STEP - Safe Traveler Enrollment Program

Wondering if anyone has had an overseas experience with this State Department program. It is supposed to keep you posted on possible bad things around the world as you travel and can give you the location of the nearest embassy or consulate if needed. You register your travel plans on their website.

It also is one more place all your personal information is kept with Uncle Sam.

With more and more issues arising around the globe, I suppose this is one way to keep up. However, reading the news and having news alerts via phone works. I normally keep the nearest US Government outpost addresses and phone numbers in hand when abroad.

Knowing how the Feds work, I am not sure this would give me any more pertinent information than I get now.

At any rate, if anyone has had experience that made STEP worthwhile, I would like to hear about it. Eastern Europe and South Africa are on the travel radar.

What got me thinking more than usual about this was the event back in Jerusalem in February. I woke to my phone telling me to seek immediate cover. Took about thirty seconds to realize it was the HOA in San Antonio warning about the tornado coming across the North side of town. However it was a rude awakening.

https://step.state.gov/step/




Gig 'em Aggies!

Rock Ag
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I live abroad and I am enrolled in it. Most of the notifications I get are about protests around the nearest US embassy. Would recommend if living abroad but doesn't seem necessary for traveling
mike073
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Thanks, Ag. Looking more at this it is pretty worthless. Checking with cruise critic and trip advisor, most information the State Department puts out on their site is already out there via regular media and social media and well after it appears on other sites. I think I will forget about that site.
Gig 'em Aggies!

TheFirebird
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mike073 said:

Thanks, Ag. Looking more at this it is pretty worthless. Checking with cruise critic and trip advisor, most information the State Department puts out on their site is already out there via regular media and social media and well after it appears on other sites. I think I will forget about that site.


The other reason to use STEP is that it allows consular officers to have at least a starting point to find you in the event of an emergency at home or abroad. It can really save a lot of time and headache for family members trying to reach you through the Consulate if the local officer has a place to start calling. However, if it is just a short trip and you will be moving around a lot, it might be of less value.

Nevertheless, there have been countless times that the information in STEP has allowed consular officers to inform authorized family members about accidents and deaths of loved ones abroad, or inform travelers about family mergencies that have happened at home. The world is getting more and more connected and smart phones have helped mitigate this need. Still, there are instances where it is valuable.

Emergencies are by definition unpredictable, so you are unlikely to get advance warning of a terror attack or the like. Also, because of "no double standard" laws, any information made available to any Americans about possible threats to their life and safety must be made available to all Americans.
TheFirebird
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Also, while you may feel me the advance information to be similar to that publicly available, the math changes in an actual emergency. When the tanks have ringed parliament and the authorities have thrown the off switch on TV and internet service, the text message you get from the Embassy about how to safely get to the airport or what neighborhood to avoid suddenly does become relevant.

This may sound far fetched to you, and it is certainly unlikely to be an issue for most leisure travelers. But it can, has, and will happen to some.

In short, it is one of those things that isn't useful at all until suddenly it is. One hopes people will sign up for it and then think "that was sure unecessary".
mike073
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Firebird - Thanks for taking the time to add to the information here. Since I first asked about this I have had several conversations with my travel agent, tour companies, and my brother in law. He was in Kuwait as Saddam's tanks rolled in. My sister was on a guided middle East tour when they had to change their departure to Amman due to a bombing in Jerusalem a number of years ago.

My travel agent as well as tour companies all use STEP for primary and supplementary information and also monitor several social media sites and news sites to keep apprised of all the areas they send folks - hot spots, potential hot spots and regular vacation spots. They all use cell phone numbers to text information. In addition, I try to keep up with areas I travel both for business and vacation. However, it looks like I may have been premature in underestimating the value of personally signing up for STEP. You are right - you can never know when you may need to be found.
Gig 'em Aggies!

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