What Should You Do If Caught In a Public Terror Attack?

Post date: Apr 26, 2018 10:16:0 AM

In today’s world, public safety can change with the drop of a hat. Public mass shootings and acts of violence have rattled the country so much and with such frequency that knowing what to do in these scenarios can save your life.

Image source: tg.la7.it

The first line of action is to run away from the scene. If you are familiar with the location, consider the safest route options available. Safe routes are those that have minimal sightlines and does not expose you as much as open areas. Insist that others leave with you and leave any large belongings behind.

If escape is not possible, find a place to hide. If the attacker is armed with a gun, seek cover in the form of brickwork or reinforced walls. Turn your phone on silent mode immediately and if possible, barricade yourself inside.

The next thing to do is to call local law enforcement. If you can, give them details about the situation that can help them neutralize the treat. Information such as the suspect’s location, how many suspects are in question, and what weapons are they holding, what directions were the suspects going to, casualties involved, descriptions of the attackers, and so on. Listen to the instructions given by the police until you are rescued.

Image source: irishtimes.com

An officer of the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service, Captain Martin Lloyd Sanders has years of experience in the fields of epidemiology and occupational safety and health, with extensive knowledge of biological defense activities and infectious disease outbreak investigation. For more articles like this, visit this blog.