What to do in a terror attack

[howtorebuild]

Trying to help someone on a thread in Paris, any advice?

If we're having a day trip somewhere I feel there is a risk we might get separated or travelling through an airport then I usually remember to take a picture on my phone of their outfits, with and without coats/hats.
I don't do it for normal daily trips, it would be ridiculous to do it every time I leave the house with them. Seems reasonable to do it for a day at a theme park or travelling through Heathrow or Charles De Gualle though.

Considering this articleh ttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3319279/Britain-terror-alert-Special-forces-streets-London-security-experts-warn-ISIS-using-secure-cyber-caliphate-plan-attacks.html I guess visits to crowded areas would be when it's wise.

I am so pleased to have threads like these. Being able to discuss this openly helps reduce my anxiety.

ISpidersmam, I am thinking about you and your family.

Almost a totally ordinary day today.

School was normal except no one was hanging around outside (we have been told not to congregate), the metro was per usual, except one was not running cos of a suspicious parcel (that happens almost every day here).

A couple of army guys at the station, but that's a frequent sight.

Only change was our bags being searched before coming into the office block, which I'm perfectly happy with!

Traffic was very quiet on the way into work today. Periph was almost deserted at 8am.
But at lunch the cafes near my work were as crowded as usual and the place I went to was caught short as I think they assumed it would be a quiet day. Hardly any food left.

People seem quite subdued though.

The minutes silence was very moving.

Security were checking bags in the shopping centre too.

A few of my colleagues live right where the attacks happened and are visibly shaken and very quiet.

Another colleague's wife was "requisitioned" over the weekend to help children involved in the attacks. It's all very sad.

There were two policemen / policewomen on every bridge over the periph as I drove home tonight.

I have a colleague who has friends whose son aged 29 was killed at the Bataclan. She was in bits today.

She said that the help for families so far has been scant. The parents of this young man did the rounds of various hospitals on Sat, as well as the mairie in the 11eme....no news. Then on Saturday evening a policeman called them and said 'I can confirm your son has been killed, you will be contacted on Monday' and that was more or less it.

I know. Of course the authorities were caught unawares by this but surely they have simulations and drills precisely to prepare for this stuff, so that relatives are not left high and dry like this family were??

UnDeux. How horrendous. So young.

My teenagers are asking so many questions and what can you say? If you are directly involved or know someone it must be unbearable.

Also, just heard from a colleague that a teacher at her children's school is a victim. The head teacher had to inform the children this morning. Not sure what she the children are but heartbreaking.

horrible. to all involved, even indirectly.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34844518

An interesting and useful read. Thanks Zetetic.

Here's another article on what to do in a Paris-style terror attack. It's an ITV link but the advice is from the National Counter Terrorism Security Office.

That's a very good read Zetetic

One thing though - I know that the quicker you react, the better, BUT what if it had been fireworks that they heard, rather than gunfire?

I would be scared of being like the Catherine Tate character who jumped at every noise

I understand that looking for more information slows people down, but how would you know without that information?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34862874

Oops! I actually read this information on the government website yesterday too. Nearly posted it on here and then thought perhaps not.... Just as well I didn't.

To be truthful Scrappy you will have no real idea of how you react to an emergency or a false loud noise until you are in one. One time I wandered through an emergency (very famous fire) completely unaware and just by sheer blind luck was completely unaffected. Didn't even see anything until I got back and saw it all on the news. Made me much more aware afterwards though because a lot of people were not so lucky.

In the only emergency that directly affected me I reacted instantly by hitting the locks, dialled 999 and then completely froze and my mind blanked. If I was ever in a third it would probably be different again - a bit like childbirth.

Better to be thought an idiot than to not react though.

I wouldn't want to be the woman that ran out of the fire exit because a car backfired outside though

It's tricky - I have been in a couple of emergency situations, and have reacted really well BUT there weren't many people each time, and I was the only one who was in a position to take charge. Who knows how I would be in a different set of circumstances?

AFewGoodWomen I assume it meant when you're on holiday or attending a big event or something and your children might get lost. Whenever we go anywhere we take loads of pics of the kids anyway so I think we're ok.

Yes it would be a bit embarassing to overreact Scrappy.

Another article.

news.sky.com/story/1590536/dont-lie-down-uk-terror-advice-is-published

You can live with ambarrassment.
As a teenager, I was out with my dad when someone apparently set off a string of firecrackers. All I knew was that I'd been bodyslammed, rolled and was under a bench with him between me and the shots.
I was mortified, but he was a soldier and unrepentant. he hadn't thought, just responded, it was a time when the IRA were active and he was on edge.

The comments on that article are pretty depressing aren't they?

www.alislam.org/library/links/00000003.html

Learn a passage, they are allowing freedom to hostages today, to those who can.