Radical Islamic terrorist groups like al Qaeda and ISIS have repeatedly attacked western countries and Western interests around the world. Assaults on soft civilian targets are now on the order of the day. We need to be prepared. Don't be a victim, don't become a sitting duck. Run, hide or fight!
HOW TO SURVIVE A TERRORIST ATTACK!!
As of today we are starting a Live Blog with advice and ideas for civilians what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Now that radical Islamic terror attacks in various variaties are on the order of the day, the time has come to prepare. There's the issue of how to act in the case of a specific assault, but we also need to prepare in a more general sense. After the Mumbai style attack in Paris on the Bataclan music hall some have commented on the ease with which the victims could have been massacred. These young folks went like sheep to the slaughter. They were incapable of defending themselves. (More) Europeans of course are subjected to strict gun laws. But that doesn't mean there are no other means to defend ourselves. Mental preparedness is even more important than physical preparation. Be aware of your rights as a human being. A right is the freedom to act. Natural rights are a moral issue, not a legal matter. Always remember that self defense is the most basic Human Right, rooted in the right to life. The Israeli technique of Krav Maga is available for all ages and on all levels. Do it with the entire family, and take the grandparents and the neighbors too. Learn first aid and start reading prepping blogs and prepping sites for great ideas what you can do in other respects, such as domestic and personal self reliance. The American Preppers Network is a good place to start. Take it seriously. It can save your life and the lives of your family members. Don't become a sitting duck. Let us know if you have great tips and tricks you want to share with us. We kick off with an article in the British Telegraph. Familiarize yourself with the police and counter terrorism hotlines in your country.
How to survive a terror attack: run and hide
Don't play dead, says official UK security advice
A terrorist attack in the UK is "highly likely" after attacks in other parts of Europe, Britain's intelligence agencies have warned, but would you know how to protect yourself in a Paris-style attack?
UK security chiefs have issued stark guidance on how to prepare for a terrorist atrocity on British soil, warning that victims should run and hide rather than play dead.
The threat to the UK from international terrorism currently stands at severe, meaning an attack is "highly likely". Britain's intelligence agencies highlighted the seriousness of the threat facing the nation as a senior Metropolitan Police officer urged people to be vigilant.
Neil Basu, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, said:
"While the threat from terrorism remains unchanged at severe we urge the public to be vigilant. "The UK police service is working tirelessly with our partners to confront the threat and protect all our communities."
The National Counter Terrorism Security Office (Nactso) published the advice on what to do in a gun and bomb attack in the wake of the terrorist atrocities in Paris in November that killed 130 people. France has been hit by a series of terror attacks in recent months linked to Isil (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant).
The slitting of a priest's throat in Normandy on Tuesday sent shockwaves through a nation already reeling from the murder of 84 people in Nice on July 14, when a Tunisian national drove a lorry into crowds enjoying Bastille Day fireworks, as well as an earlier atrocity at the Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris.
Counter-terror officials released tips on how to behave in an attack, urging people to "escape if you can" - rather than lying down - or to barricade themselves into a safe place with their phones on silent.
The document outlines what to do in "response to a fast moving incident such as a firearms or weapons attack" and also advises businesses to develop procedures for what Nactso called a "dynamic lockdown" to stop armed terrorists entering a site.
British counter-terror officials issued the following advice on how to behave in a gun or bomb attack:
RUN
- Escape if you can
- Consider the safest options
- Is there a safe route? Run, if not hide
- Can you get there without exposing yourself to greater danger?\
- Insist others leave with you
- Leave belongings behind
HIDE
- If you can’t run, hide
- Find cover from gunfire
- If you can see the attacker, they may be able to see you
- Cover from view does not mean you are safe, bullets go through glass, brick, wood and metal
- Find cover from gunfire e.g. substantial brickwork/heavy reinforced walls
- Be aware of your exits
- Try not to get trapped
- Be quiet, silence your phone
- Switch off the lights
- Lock/barricade yourself in
- Move away from the door
TELL
- Call 999: What do the police need to know?
- Location: Where are the suspects?
- Direction: Where did you last see the suspects?
- Descriptions: Describe the attacker, numbers, features, clothing, weapons etc
- Further information: Casualties, type of injury, building information, entrances, exits, hostages etc.
- Stop other people entering the building if it is safe to do so
Source: National Counter Terrorism Security Office (Nactso), November 2015
It followed evidence from victims of the assault on the Bataclan music hall, where gunmen burst in and fired indiscriminately at the crowd.
Several survivors told how they dropped to the floor and remained still as the massacre claimed the lives of 89 music fans and injured scores more.
But the Nactso guidance said those caught up in such an attack should "escape if you can", "insist others leave with you" and "leave belongings behind".
In the event that escape routes are cut off, then officials advise finding cover from the gunfire behind "substantial brickwork or heavy reinforced walls" as "cover from view does not mean you are safe, bullets go through glass, brick, wood and metal".
After finding a hiding place, victims should "be quiet, silence your phone" and barricade themselves in before phoning 999 and reporting the location, details about the suspects and whether there are any hostages and casualties.
The "Stay Safe" advice issued by the British Government sets out what people should do in the event of a similar atrocity to the Paris attacks. The guidance also suggests companies train staff in how to lockdown buildings and react to an attack.
"Dynamic lockdown is the ability to quickly restrict access and egress to a site or building (or part of) through physical measures in response to a threat, either external or internal," said Nactso, a branch of the National Police Chiefs' Council.
UK Terror threat levels
MI5 issues threat levels to provide "a broad indication of the likelihood of a terrorist attack."
- Low: An attack is unlikely
- Moderate: An attack is possible, but not likely
- Substantial: An attack is a strong possibility
- Severe: An attack is highly likely
- Critical: An attack is expected imminently
Members of the public should always remain alert to the danger of terrorism and report any suspicious activity to the police on 999 or the anti-terrorist hotline: 0800 789 321.
Alarms, internal messages or a PA system could be used to inform workers of a terrorist assault and firms should hold regular drills.
The advice was issued as elite firearms officers are now secretly patrolling London's streets in a new fleet of unmarked cars as part of heightened security arrangements.
Videos
- How To Survive A Terrorist Attack
- What to Do in the Event of a Terror Attack
- Self Defense Tips - Weapons of Opportunity
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