How To Stay Safe at NDK

[Sarge]

As the Security Lt. at NDK, I have collected a lot of experience in personal safety, especially in such an odd setting as at NDK.  So here are some tips about how to keep yourself and your family and friends safe at NDK, from all types of accidents, crimes, or predators.

• Parents, please watch your children, and be sure you always know where they are.  A good idea is to write your cell phone number upon the child's arm or hand in case they get separated from you, so that Staff can contact you immediately if found.
• Always know where you are, and who you are with.  If you get lost or separated from your group, find a safe place to try and reach them, or pre-arrange a meeting spot out of the way of general traffic.  If you are thrown into mixed company with people you do not know, just trust your instincts.  Never stay in a situation in which you feel unsafe.
• Ladies, watch your purses.  This can be tough in such a crowded con setting.  Consider keeping your valuables either in your room or closer to your person, such as an underarm purse/bag.
• When leaving the convention, it may be a wise idea to take off your badge.  Running around in a normal public setting with your name on your clothing may not be wise.  There are many predators out there who would use the information against you.  This is especially important for unsupervised minors.
• Hang up and walk!  If you need to use your cell phone, stop walking and use it off to one side somewhere.  Holding a phone up to your ear while walking creates a large blind spot on one side, and you become much more prone to accidents from hitting something/someone.
• Check your hotel room surroundings.  It's always a good idea to know the best way to get to your room as well as an alternate path.  Count the doors from an exit to your room, if it helps you.
• Be careful with your cash.  A lot of people come to the con to buy stuff, and so be careful you are not sitting in a crowded situation counting your money or making change.  Find someplace out of the way.
• Peepholes in Hotel Rooms exist for a reason!  Be sure it is working properly when you check in, and don't let anyone into your room that you don't know!  Remember, Hotel Security's number is in the room, and they are available 24/7.
• Have someplace to stay!  I'm sorry, but as much as you think you might be able to, you cannot go the entire con without a place to sleep.  Sleeping in the hallways is not permitted.  It's unhealthy to drive yourself like that anyhow, and our EMS team loves to be bored.

These are just a few good tips, and just because it may not be listed here, does not mean it isn't a good idea.  Always use your best judgment, and if in doubt, find a staff member or, better yet, a Security Staff member or Hotel Security officer.

I'll see you all there, and please, stay safe!

[Tony Redgrave]

Thank you for these helpful tips I trust they will come in handy to everyone. ^_^

[Sirblood]

about cash:
*** most important, set aside enough money to cover gas for the way home, hotel room if you are splitting one and some food money
- keep your largest bills hidden... if you have $100 or $50 bills, keep them separated from the rest
- large wads of cash in your wallet or purse looks cool... but thieves think it looks cool also...
- if you bring say $400 or $500 to the convention, its usually best to find a hiding spot for some of it and to NOT tell anyone how much money you have brought!!!

hotel room:
- its easy to forget which room is your hotel room when its late and you are tired, if you think you might forget, write the number down on a sheet of scrap paper and put it in your wallet.
- if you have roommates you don't know and you buy expensive stuff, I'd store it in your car just to be on the safe side

Phone Numbers:
- while it might sound like a good idea at the time, don't give out your phone number to just anyone, there's occasionally 1 or 2 shady individuals around who try to collect those from people...

After con 'bug'
- to make sure you don't catch whatever people bring with them cold or flu wise to the convention, you can bring with you an immume system boosting suplement... combine these 3 in the suggested daily use of each.
: Zink Lozenges
: Vitamin C tablets
: multi-Vitamin
Take them 1 day before the con, and every day of the con and 1 day after the con.  The Zink will super boost your immume system, so you don't want to take it for long extended periods of time (as in months) as it can have detrimental effects if you do so, and stop using it...

[Rumor]

A thing about money:
I would say that if you have a hotel room or car, keep your money either well hidden, or locked up, and don't carry more than about $20 at a time. If you see something you really want in the dealer's room, usually, it'll be available long enough for you to go to your room and get the amount you need. Having the item ten minutes sooner isn't worth risking having $100 on your person
(Some might say this is a tad over the top, but I have had my wallet stolen, and all they got was $15 and some cards that i cancelled. Much better than losing all $200 I had)

[Alitain]

I'll just add to, and something maybe for staff and security to look out for, is that I've heard of people sleeping under the tables and such in the hotel.  So not only do people try sleeping in hallways, but also are sneaky about it by hiding away in less obvious places.
And still completely bad idea, get a room or if you or a friend live close by stay there...because I think every year we have someone collapsing due to no sleep and poor eating(or lack thereof).

On money-
I say never leave it in your car unless you don't have a room.  It seems cars get broken into all the time sadly.  And while it was mentioned to withhold money for food, gas home, and room there's something else that I always do.
I split my money up.  Some for those above reasons, and then the rest is split to use between Fri and Sat.   One reason, that way I'm carrying less money around as a risk.  Another, so that way I don't get carried away Friday and spend basically all my money.  And also that way if I do(which has never happened) lose money I wont have lost it all.

And definitely what Kami said, use your best judgement is the best advice you can get.

[Sarge]

Fantastic additions about money!  Great stuff y'all.

I'll just add too, and something maybe for staff and security to look out for, is that I've heard of people sleeping under the tables and such in the hotel.  So not only do people try sleeping in hallways, but also are sneaky about it by hiding away in less obvious places.
And still completely bad idea, get a room or if you or a friend live close by stay there...because I think every year we have someone collapsing due to no sleep and poor eating(or lack thereof).

Yes, we (Security) will find you if you are sleeping under a table or anything like that.  We regularly check all of the hotel's nooks and crannies, and trust me, the only people who know them better is the Hotel Staff themselves, and *they* could find you too.  For your own safety, please have a secure place to sleep.  What happens if some predator finds you in a dark corner, in a hallway, or in a dark nook?  It's my job to think of such scenarios at the con, and we do all in our power to prevent it.

Remember:  The best person at keeping you safe...is YOU.

[Alitain]

Kami-
Definitely, you know amazingly enough for my jaded view of the world(hehe), I never thought of the fact of people finding someone tucked under a table or something.  Well just makes me glad I'm not that nuts and I always have a room.  Plus, I mean really why do without a nice cushy bed, those beds feel SO good after a long day of the con.

[Sarge]

Kami-
Definitely, you know amazingly enough for my jaded view of the world(hehe), I never thought of the fact of people finding someone tucked under a table or something.  Well just makes me glad I'm not that nuts and I always have a room.  Plus, I mean really why do without a nice cushy bed, those beds feel SO good after a long day of the con.

Thanks

I also can't count the number of times we've had to go to EMS because people don't sleep.  Personally, I need my sleep badly...

[securityguy]

Sleep who needs sleep?! HA HA HA!!! but yeah seriously everyone needs sleep i should know i fell asleep in a chair at the main events door lol

[theshadow]

Thank you all for the wonderful advise this thread has run its course I'm going to lock it.