HOUSTON (KTRK) -- In the wake of the terror attacks in Belgium we spoke with Glen Burton, the director of operations for Houston-based 360 Worldwide Security.
He talked with us about some simple steps all travelers should take before they ever leave home. He's a security specialist who has seen it all.
"With the current threat climate security is on the rise for everybody in today's world," he said. "The key to this is raising your awareness in everything you do right now. That in itself will keep you safe and identify problems that are out there."
His first suggestion is going to the websites for both the U.S. State Department and the UK and Foreign Commonwealth. Both provide up to the minute warnings and alerts for regions around the globe.
"You can look at the latest dos and don'ts," he said, "the latest travel alerts, areas to avoid, cultural differences. It's a valuable tool in this day and age for the traveler."
He suggests leaving a copy of your passport and itinerary with friends or family, and talking to people who've recently visited the same destination. Planning is the key. And it applies not just to terrorism, but also to natural disasters like hurricanes or even earthquakes.
"The key to this is raising your awareness in everything you do right now," explained Burton. "That in itself will keep you safe and identify problems that are out there.>
As for how you react if you are caught in an attack, Burton says there is no easy answer.
"A lot of people might want to run away from the situation but they could also be running into a second attack," he explained. "So they may be creating more of a problem for themselves."