Terrorist attacks have occurred in London and Manchester in the past year, and the current threat level in the United Kingdom from international terrorism is severe, according to the government.
This means it is important for Britons to have the right advice on how to protect themselves and the people around them if caught up in a terrorist attack.
Express.co.uk contacted a representative from citizenAID, an mobile app dedicated to informing the public of what to do in the event of a terror attack, who has provided a set of guidelines.
The advice offers important steps on what to do to stay safe, as well as how to help others by treating injuries and informing the relevant authorities.
These are the seven steps it is important to take in a terror attack, according to Brigadier Tom Hodgetts, co-founder of citizenAID.
1 If there is an active threat, the safest thing to do is move away. Follow the police advice to Run, Hide, Tell.
2 When it is safe to do so, treat the injured. If you have equipment, use it. If you don’t have equipment it is ok to improvise.
3 Lives can be saved in the critical first few minutes if you stop bleeding.
4 Use a dressing or clothing to pack a wound and press firmly. I.e. A scarf, t-shirt or sock.
5 As a last resort for limb bleeding, which can’t be stopped by packing and pressure – you can use a tourniquet. Tourniquets CAN save lives when used for the right reasons.
6 Be prepared not scared: Download the free citizenAID™ app, to understand how you can stay safe and save lives. Knowing what to do can reduce anxiety and improve performance even in these difficult situations.
7 When you call the emergency services, they will want to know the following information [SLIDE]:
a.SITUATION – What’s happening?
b.LOCATION – Where are you?
c.INJURED – How many and how severe [it only has to be an estimate if you’re unsure]?
d.DANGERS – Is there still any threat?
e.EMERGENCY SERVICES – What do you need?
Over half of Britons said they would visit Christmas markets despite the current “severe” threat level, in a recent survey.
This defiant attitude came despite the fact last year, there was a terrorist attack involving a truck at a Christmas market in Breitscheidplatz, Berlin that left 12 people dead.
