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NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -
The images we have seen from London have certainly hit close to home. And while it seems the threat of terrorism surrounds us, we must continue with our daily routine and that includes our travel and leisure plans too.
In today's 5 Tips we present advice from security experts on how to keep safe in dangerous times.
1. Get the facts.
Currently the U.S. Embassy in London is advising citizens to defer all non-essential travel to the London area. Angela Aggeler of the U.S. Department of State strongly recommends that citizens be armed with information about the situation before traveling.
To keep on top of the latest developments, it is recommended that citizens stay close to their news outlets. To get in touch with a loved one who is currently in the area, call the State Department hotline at 888-407-4747.
If you have booked a flight to the region, you may want to call your airline carrier. Some airlines are relaxing their cancellation policies for London-bound travelers. American Airlines, for example, will allow you to change your travel date up to July 31 without a penalty. For those who want to bypass London altogether, the airline is letting customers apply the value of an unused ticket to travel to another location. Delta Airlines is letting its London-bound customers change their flight without a fee until July 18th.
2. Go beyond London.
The U.S. State Department warns Americans that there is always the possibility of terrorist attacks in major Western cities. France, Italy and Spain all raised their anti-terror alert levels following the attacks.
There is tightened security at borders and more stringent security checks at all airports and major tourist attractions, including government buildings, communications facilities, stadiums, shopping centers, and power and water infrastructure.
According to travel risk management company iJet Western, governments might also raise terrorism alerts ahead of key dates and future events because the July 7 attacks coincided with the G8 Summit in Edinburgh. This means that French authorities might issue warnings ahead of Bastille Day celebrations on July 14, according to the company.
3. Travel like an intelligence agent.
If you really want to be ahead of the pack, do some research. If you are planning to take a trip somewhere, make sure you know what is going on. You have to look at special conventions, concerts and major gatherings of people. It's important to understand what impact these events can have on a country.
Before you depart, check out the U.S. Department of State at http://travel.state.gov. for information about the nearest U.S. Embassy and other travel warnings.
You may also want to look at other nations' Web sites, such as the U.K.'s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, www.fco.gov.uk, for more warnings and information.
For a personalized travel-risk assessment, check out iJet Travel Intelligence. For a $25 fee, you can get information on what transportation systems to avoid, what places to stay away from, what times of day and night are most dangerous and historical dates that may increase risk of terrorism. You will also be provided with emergency numbers and security updates, according to CEO Bruce McIndoe. IJet Travel's Web site is www.travelriskcenter.com.
4. Don't be early.
If you plan on traveling by bus, train or subway, don't show up early. People should always be concerned about crowded situations, says Kelly McCann, a Counterterrorism Specialist at Kroll Associates.
"You should be extra cautious near bus stops and subway platforms," he advises. "The shorter amount of time you can spend at these locations the better." The best rule of thumb here is to arrive late and leave early.
5. Anticipate chaos.
People have this idea that if anything happens, they will be operating at 100 percent. That is not the case, says McCann. People experience a high amount of confusion and dysfunction.
To alleviate this as much as possible, make sure you have an evacuation route. Have an action plan. Take note of where cabs tend to convene. While there isn't much you can do in case of a terrorist attack, you should always be looking for a way out.
Howard Safir, former New York City Police Commissioner and partner at security consulting firm SafirRosetti, says that families need to plan a meeting spot ahead of time in case phones do not work.
Although no one can predict the specifics of a terrorist attack, it never hurts to plan three steps ahead. Think about how much we depend on technology and then imagine what it would be like to be without these things.
And be prepared to do without services you normally depend on, like cash registers, ATMs, gas stations and Internet transactions. Try to have extra cash on hand, make sure your car has a full tank of gas and write down phone numbers in case they are stored on your cell phone's Rolodex.
Click here for more on the fallout from the attacks.
Gerri Willis is a personal finance editor for CNN Business News and the host for Open House. E-mail comments to 5tips@cnn.com.
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