I recently learned something new about the emergency 911 system. In Massachusetts, there’s a back-up plan for callers who, for one reason or another, are unable to speak, perhaps due to a physical disability, domestic violence or a home invasion.

When a dispatcher answers, the caller uses the phone’s keypad to indicate his need — 1 for police, 2 for fire and 3 for an ambulance. The dispatcher may then ask questions that require a “yes” or “no” answer. Callers respond with 4 for yes and 5 for no. It’s simple yet ingenious.

Those of us who live in urban, suburban, semi-rural and even rural areas around the United States take this kind of emergency system for granted, but we often travel outside the country without taking any safety precautions or creating a back-up plan.

During the 2014 Global Business Travel Association’s annual meeting in Los Angeles, I had the opportunity to sit down with David Sarafinas, managing director, HX Global, a leading provider of international travel, medical and security services.

While the company’s capabilities are wide-ranging, I was particularly impressed with Travel Oracle. The desktop portal provides up-to-date travel information including leads about security situations that may affect travel decisions. Its related smartphone app sends real-time alerts about developing situations and includes a mayday function that could be a lifesaver in parts of the world experiencing political or socio-economic instability — in other words, it’s an international emergency back-up plan.

Read more about my chat with Sarafinas in this month’s One on One interview, and check out our feature on cultural nuances in the international business arena. Then get ready to apply what you learn as you plan travel to our featured destinations: Beijing, Seattle, Dubai, Waikiki, Vienna, Bogotá, Mallorca and Tahiti!