Good idea to enroll in STEP: Smart Traveler Enrollment Program?

discussed many times previously

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/us-passport-step-program

etc

STEP probably saved my life. Was in China a few years ago during a wave of severe smog over the city. They sent out an email strongly warning of this and advising Americans to stay indoors, I followed the advice and even indoors in my modern hotel with functioning central AC I was still struggling to breath. I have asthma which is typically under control with medications, but even my rescue inhaler had very little effect. I had been to Beijing a few times in the past with moderate smog and it didn't bother my asthma, but on this day the smog was in another league. Without that warning I certainly would have gone out sightseeing, no doubt bad things would have happened to me without that warning.

I know of another instance of an American who was volunteer teaching in a remote part of Lebanon when the Israel-Hezbollah war broke out in 2006. Because she registered her stay, the US embassy was able to find her, and transport her to an evacuation ship to safety to Cyprus.

In yet another episode I was in Mexico City with a thousand other US soccer fans when the national team was playing a World Cup qualifying match. After the match a bunch of smart-ass US fans decided to hang a large American flag outside the window of the hotel the traveling fans were staying in, which happened to be across from a monument where Mexican fans congregate to celebrate a victory. The locals didn't take the flag well and hundreds of fans attacked the hotel and riot police had to surround the hotel and literally beat back the mob. The US embassy was adjacent to the hotel, they placed a spotter on the roof, and texted minute by minute details of exactly where the mob was and how to navigate around the police line for Americans stuck out in the streets.

While the above scenarios are unlikely in Western Europe, natural disasters can happen anywhere.

Thanks, your stories about what might happen are invaluable.

I think I will enroll before our next trip. Thanks for posting.

https://step.state.gov/step/

Thanks for the valuable information. We will be enrolling.

Enrolling takes just 1-2 minutes and costs nothing. It seems the reasonable thing to do.

Posting in support of enrolling in the STEP program. I have received text messages from them twice in the past few years, once in Istanbul and once in London. Each informed us that there were planned student demonstrations at "such and such a location" and we "might want to avoid that area during these specific times". I really appreciated the heads' up and can't imagine how it could hurt to enroll. It's free and an easy, online procedure.

Also posting in support. I've had Andi's experience with STEP, but in Amsterdam. In this crazy world, it can't hurt, IMO.

Good idea to register both my wife and I? We are traveling together.

I don't see how it could hurt to register both of you. She can be added to your enrollment as an "additional traveler" or similar wording at the same time you are enrolling yourself. I haven't had experience with this myself but have been told it's much easier to replace a lost of stolen passport (while you're traveling) if you are already registered with the State Department.

I just enrolled but am wondering - we are staying in 4 locations in Spain. I gave them the first stop address, but do you give each and every location? Thanks in advance...

My wife completed her reistration last night and filled in all 5 locations that we are visiting...took a bit of time to do so.
Did you see the "additional traveler" area on the form? I think she may have missed it.

Yes. On my computer, it's all the way at the bottom of the second enrollment page in a blue box; after you list your destination, destination dates, nearest embassy, emergency contact number (I use my cell phone number).

Thanks for the follow up.

I always register on the Canadian government version of this; it's easy, and is just another step for your peace of mind.

I use it more for my trips to S. America where governments are a little less stable. I still get noticed for places I visited a few years ago.

Advisable to enroll. During our trip there were several heavy wind and rain warnings and related damage in different areas of Italy. These alerts keep us advised while we were in Italy.