Although the world seems to be focused on terrorism, the largest threats to oil industry workers are kidnapping and violent crime. The number of annual kidnappings around the world has tripled over the last 20 years. Most of these kidnappings occur in the very regions oil companies operate. Between Columbia and Mexico alone, there is an average of 6,000 kidnappings per year. Kidnapping is no longer reserved for political statements and terrorist acts. Kidnapping has become a money-making business in many parts of the world. Anti-Western sentiment and poor economies have also contributed to the expansion of kidnapping and violent crime.

Insurance companies such as AIG, Chubb, and AON provide kidnapping and ransom

In threatening territory, catalog places that pose potential threats and make plans to avoid conflict situations.
insurance (K&R insurance). The rates are increasing every year, and travel to some countries of the world is uninsurable. All the K&R insurance in the world won’t stop violent crimes such as armed robberies, rape and carjacking, all of which occur in the United States as well as other parts of the world. Terrorism is also a problem, and the recommendations in this article can help protect oil workers from targeted terrorist attacks as well as violent crime in the United States or elsewhere.

Stop an attack
So how does one stop a potential attack? Basically, there are two key areas to stop a kidnapping, terrorist attack, or other form of violent crime. The two critical points to disrupt the attacker are during the planning phase or the execution phase. The first and best point to stop these attacks is in the planning phase. This article will discuss the methods to disrupt the planning phase and avoid potential harm without incident. Disrupting the planning phase is most effective when an individual or group of workers is the targeted victim for a specific attack. For example, a violent criminal or kidnapper is focused on a specific individual or group based on the victim’s accessibility, potential payoff and a high probability of a successful attack.

The worst time to be forced to disrupt an attack is in the execution phase. The execution phase occurs during the point at which the attack has been initiated. To disrupt the attack phase usually requires some type of physical act by the victim such as a kick, a punch, running or driving away. The probability of success by the victim during this phase is very low because the attacker will have chosen the place and time that the victim is most vulnerable and probably unaware. Most random acts of violence, such as carjacking, armed robbery, muggings and some rapes, require the victim to disrupt the execution phase. However, even in the case of a random attack (one in which the victim was not specifically the target) in which the place, such as an automated teller machine or a parking lot, offers an attack opportunity, a victim can avoid confrontation by watching for danger signs. Although there are several ways to physically defeat an attack during the execution phase, several articles would be required to effectively explain these physical defenses. Furthermore, physical defense measures work best when demonstrated and taught in conjunction with hands-on training and practical application.

Surveillance
The most important thing to remember about any attack, regardless of the type, is that no attack happens without SURVEILLANCE! Deliberately planned attacks occur after several days or weeks of surveillance. Even hasty attacks require some degree of surveillance and planning. A hasty attack is an attack developed with a condensed planning phase, sometimes as short as a few minutes, most often utilized by criminals during random attacks.

The most important thing to remember is that you are in control and you have the power to avoid attack. However, this control only applies to the security efforts within the control of the potential victim. Terrorist acts against high-threat venues such as the Super Bowl, the World Series or a hotel reduce the potential victim to focusing on proactive survival measures because the individual doesn’t control the security measures or the security staff of such high-threat venues.

Learning to recognize and or discourage surveillance is one of the best ways to avoid becoming a victim. Things to look for when you believe you are being observed are characteristics that can’t be readily changed such as:
• Scars, marks or tattoos
• Hair color
• Eye color
• Deformities or injuries
• Height
• Facial hair (easy to shave quickly but hard to grow)
• Weight.

In order to recognize surveillance, some basic procedures are necessary. This article will discuss many but not all steps so as not to educate kidnappers and terrorists. One of the first steps to recognizing surveillance is to identify some locations off the main routes that would be of interest to you.

The greatest way to become paranoid is to think you are being watched because you regularly see the same people or the same cars, yet you are going to places frequented by the majority of the local populace anyway. This makes it very likely you will see the same people.

Once you have identified some out-of-the-way places of interest, make sure these areas aren’t in a high crime district. Use these places of interest in conjunction with your usual routes to determine if you notice the same vehicles or people at various locations. Seeing the same person at the market and again at one place of interest may be a coincidence, seeing the same vehicle at two or three of the same out of the way places of interest in the same day or over the span of a few days should be cause for alarm. Keep in mind, it may not always be the same person or the same car, but most criminal elements or terrorists groups usually don’t have an extensive pool of observers. Within a few days, if you are truly being watched or followed, the same faces will begin to emerge.

Another aspect of recognizing surveillance is how, when and where to look. The when and where aspect of this procedure is almost the same. Realizing that no one can stay vigilant all the time and remember every face, there are certain times to be more alert and observant than others. Think of your awareness level in terms of the colors of a traffic light: red, green and yellow.

Red light
Red – This is when you should be most aware of your surroundings. You should be in red at all the locations that make you most vulnerable to attack because these are the places that are also excellent places to observe you. Some places that should automatically put you in “red mode” are just outside the home or hotel room and outside the office. These are the two biggest choke points. A choke point is a location that you must transit, no matter what route you take. So, no matter what route you take between your hotel/home and the office, you will always end up at those places and will always have to turn onto the street where these places are located. These two choke points will probably be the first places you will be watched. Be cognizant of individuals that seem out of place. Also, be aware of individuals that make rapid movement, quickly dial a cell phone or in some way appear to be signaling your location and or vehicle to someone else. Other locations to be in red mode are in unfamiliar areas, choke points or other areas where one’s movement is controlled by heavy stop and go traffic, traffic lights or an accident. Whenever one feels controlled by traffic or other circumstances, one should become very observant and aware of his or her surroundings. Begin to look for potential surveillance as well as any indications of a potential attack. Use the mirrors and observe all around to see anyone moving toward the vehicle from the blind spots.

Another place to be in red mode is at checkpoints. It is best to learn and recognize official checkpoints so criminals posing as an official checkpoint to stop potential victims don’t stop you. Oil company employees must often travel to remote drill sites or oil fields where there are no alternate routes and the roads are desolate. These conditions are most conducive for criminals and kidnappers to establish false checkpoints. The best way to increase safety driving to and from remote locations is to travel in two or more vehicles. The need for criminals to control two vehicles and personnel can be enough for them to wave you through in search of easier prey. Two vehicles also provide a tow vehicle or simply a travel method for all personnel should one vehicle break down.

Additional safety issues when traveling to remote locations are to make sure there is a simple vehicle kit with items such as oil, transmission fluid, jumper cables, a simple first aid kit, water, a flashlight and some simple tools. Additionally, one of the vehicles should have a tow strap and a bumper jack in case the vehicle is stuck or inoperable. When traveling in two or more vehicles it is best to have radios to communicate between vehicles. These are invaluable at checkpoints and heavy traffic. The radios don’t have to be expensive; some simple Motorola talkabout radios will work fine. Many people attempt to use cellular phones for inter-vehicle communications, but if reception is poor, they aren’t effective. The other aspect of radios is that communication is instantaneous.

For remote travel a satellite phone is better than a standard cellular phone. Iridium now works in most of the world, and Thuraya satellite phones work well in the Middle East, Europe and portions of Africa. A GPS is also a valuable tool, not only to navigate but to report your position to your coworkers when traveling in remote areas. This again can provide a more recent place to begin the search if you become a kidnapping victim. The sooner your last known location can be figured, the better your chances of recovery.

Yellow light
Yellow – You should be in yellow mode anytime you are at a location that has become a pattern for you, in general. Other places to be in yellow mode are places where persons outside your trusted circle are aware of your itinerary. An example of such a location would be a meeting with a foreign country’s energy ministry. This is not to say that the energy ministry is a threat, but in order to coordinate such a meeting, many locals will be aware of the time and place you will be there. Other such meetings might be a lunch or dinner meeting or other meeting in which local personnel will be in attendance. Be aware of potential surveillance or a hasty attack near restaurants and other locations generally frequented by expatriates. I have found over the years that Westerners tend to gravitate to a few select restaurants in any area.

Look for individuals you don’t normally see at this stop or, conversely, individuals you have seen over several days that don’t appear to have a reason to be in the area or seem to be just standing around or sitting in their car, basically, “hanging out” with no real purpose. Any choke point you often transit; places you regularly stop; and circumstances out of the ordinary such as road work, utility work or delivery trucks not usually seen are cause to be in yellow mode.

Green light
Green – This is generally the mode we find ourselves in at our home. No perceived threat or real concerns. Just unwinding and sitting down to dinner and watching a ball game. When staying at locations with gates and security guards, people might find themselves relaxing in green mode.

In many places you may be required to take a taxi. If so, make sure the hotel or restaurant arranges the taxi. Provide the person arranging the taxi with a name other than your own to give the driver. This is just an added measure to make sure the driver is in fact the one the hotel arranged. Taxis can be effective in thwarting surveillance because they generally all look the same. Always know where you are in the area. Do a good map study before departing so you will recognize when the driver is not going where you intended.
Whenever possible, vary the exits and entrances you use. When possible, change vehicles frequently, even if this means simply trading rental cars with another employee. When traveling in two or more vehicles, attempt to make them different, such as a sedan and an SUV, an SUV and a van.

Whatever the case, vary the vehicles so as not to appear as a convoy of potential victims. This is very important in areas where explosive ambushes such as improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are typically used.

Always inform coworkers of your itinerary. Provide them with your route, approximate drive time and destination. Call them to report you arrived safely. Provide them with a time frame in which they should report your absence, 3 hours, 5 hours, etc. Inform them when you depart the destination and upon your safe return.

If confronted in a vehicle, always attempt to drive out of the situation. Be aware of your driving skill limitations also. It will do no good to escape an attack and be killed in a subsequent traffic accident.

Another measure of safety is to keep an emergency individual position radio beacon (commonly referred to as an EPIRB) in the vehicle. If you have time prior to being removed from the vehicle, activate the beacon. This will at least give the authorities an exact place to start their search and talk to potential witnesses. Breitling also makes a watch with a locator beacon in it. This may also provide some clues as to your location.

When traveling overseas it is best to register with the US state department in order to receive any warnings or evacuation information if necessary. To register, visit www.travelregistration.state.gov. To receive travel updates prior to your trip or during, call 1-888-407-4747 in the US and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 if overseas.

Some insurance companies may pay the cost of pre-incident training simulations. Check with your insurance company to see if this applies to your kidnapping and ransom insurance policy or if training is covered by the standard corporate policy. Also find out if they will pay for EPIRBs or other locating devices.