Global Safe Haven Network provides safety for young travelers
By Stephanie Bertholdo bertholdo@theacorn.com

Alyson Kaplan

In 2003, Alyson Kaplan, 20, was living the dream of so many young adults. A college student on vacation in London, Alyson was on her way to meet a friend in Bristol when a storm left her stranded at a train station. Vulnerable and scared, Alyson sought help from a 28-year-old man, who eventually robbed and murdered her.

Alyson's griefstricken parents, Donald and Joanne Kaplan of Agoura Hills, couldn't help but wonder why there wasn't a better network of resources for young travelers who, when confronted with an emergency, could find their way to safety. If only there were this safe haven, they thought, their daughter might be alive today.

Hoping to make a change, the Kaplans launched the Global Safe Haven Network through the Alyson Ilene Kaplan Memorial Foundation.

Utilizing a network of tools and services, the organization helps travelers reduce their risk while traveling domestically or abroad, said Jacqueline Brown, the organization's executive director. The network provides a variety of protective measures, including information about mandatory vaccinations, uptotheminute weather conditions, and real-time travel alerts about problems that might be developing in a city.

During emergencies, members are given a tollfree number they can call.

"If this service was available at the time, Alyson could have called an 800 number, and they would have become responsible," said Donald Kaplan. "They keep you on the line until help arrives. Instead of going back to a hotel with a stranger, they would have picked her up and taken her to a hotel."

If a train schedule is interrupted, for example, the network will provide alternate transportation for the member. The service is available for any emergency situation, even if it means sending a helicopter to fetch a person from a mountain top or to pluck a person from a tree during the middle of a tsunami.

The service finds hotel rooms, replaces lost money or stolen passports, and generally provides a safe haven anywhere in the world no matter what the nature of the emergency, Brown said.

"Think of it as a giant neighborhood watch," Brown said. Police departments and affiliates in the United Kingdom have signed up as safe havens, Kaplan said. And he envisions private enterprises joining the network, including corporation such as Starbucks and McDonalds.

"Eventually we'll have a location on every corner in every city in the world," Kaplan said.

The network also provides members with an ID-sized card with 20 tips for an emergency. An emergency travel plan is included with each member ship. Before departing, members fill out their plan and give a copy to a family member, trip leader or travel organization, Brown said.

The group also has a book titled "Safe Travel Emergency Plan," which Brown describes as a "nononsense practical tool outlining critical information for use in travel emergencies."

"Global Safe Haven Network is yet another sign of the times we all need to be responsible for our own security and this starts with our children, educating them early on how to protect themselves when they travel on their own or even in a group," Brown said.

The Global Safe Haven Network has partnered with IJet and World Access, two companies known for their expertise in risk management and emergency evacuation. It was IJet that provided rescue services to people stranded by Hurricane Katrina, Kaplan said.

"This organization is up and running now," Brown said. "We have the infrastructure. . . .The network will continue to grow and develop crucial partnerships over the years, which will all add up to even more benefits for current and new members.

"There is a lot to do here but it's up and going and we will save lives," Brown said. "Hindsight is 20-20. People say, 'I wish I would have had this service before I took my last trip.' Well, they should be taking advantage of this vital program now before they plan their trip."

A membership drive is currently underway and through Dec. 15 an annual membership costs $59 rather than the standard price of $89.

To join the Global Safe Haven Network, visit the website www.globalsafehaven.org, or call (877) AIK7550, Int'l (818) 7288225. Also e-mail the group at info@aikfoundation.org.