During an emergency debate in the House of Commons today, Huw Merriman, MP for Bexhill and Battle, asked for the sympathies and solidarity to be extended from local residents to all of those affected by yesterday’s horrific bombings in Brussels.
He went on to recognise the Government’s “Stay Safe” principles, which instruct the public as to how they should best respond and react to terror attacks on our transport network and other populated hubs in the UK. Huw urged the Home Secretary to assess if these instructions could be more prominently advertised by rail operators and airport authorities so more people will be aware. Concluding his participation in the debate, Huw said “The Stay Safe message may be a bleak one, but our constituents would be all the safer for having understood it’. The Home Secretary responded stating that she found the suggestion interesting and wanted to refer it to the Transport Department in order for them to consider if the principles could be rolled-out in the manner described by Huw.
The key advice contained in the “Stay Safe” principles is Run – if you can and if there is a safe route; Hide – if you can’t run and Tell – call 999. Said Huw, following the debate, “Many commuters, who I share my daily train journey with, are unaware of what they should do in the event of a terror attack. I would rather recognise that this threat exists, and help prepare and train the public to deal with it, than close my eyes to it and persuade myself that it will not happen. Hopefully, we will never need to put this in action but, as the attacks in Belgium show us, we live in a dangerous world and we must all ensure that we are well prepared. I will be pursuing this idea and would like the publicity rolled out to commuters in my constituency.”
Key advice contained in the Stay Safe Principles is as follows:
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
2.2 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
•Lock / barricade yourself in
•Move away from the door
2.3 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
Full details of the Government’s Stay Safe Principles can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/recognising-the-terrorist-threat/recognising-the-terrorist-threat
Watch the Stay Safe video http://www.npcc.police.uk/NPCCBusinessAreas/WeaponAttacksStaySafe.aspx