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This invaluable guide has been developed by the Rand Corporation to provide people with the knowledge to identify and survive various typesof terrorist attack. It is based on strategies RAND first outlined in a report last year and includes a single-sheet, foldable reference card and a downloadable personal digital assistant (PDA) program.
The guide adopts a scenario-driven approach that provides a rigorous way to identify actions—linked specifically to terrorist attacks—individuals can take to protect their health and safety. The result is an individual's strategy across four types of terrorist attacks—chemical, radiological, nuclear, and biological—consisting of overarching goals and simple and directive response and preparatory actions. The actions are appropriate regardless of likelihood of an attack, scale of attack, or government alert level; designed to be sensitive to potential variations; and defined in terms of simple rules that should be easy for individuals to adopt.
Gut instinct is a good thing — unless you’re caught in an unconventional terrorist attack. During a chemical, biological, nuclear or radiological strike, your instincts may put you and those who depend on you in even greater danger.
Lynn Davis, senior analyst at the RAND Corporation and former undersecretary of state for international security, has researched safety in unconventional attacks and uncovered five common misconceptions most people hold about surviving these types of attacks.
Five Misconceptions About Surviving Terrorist Attacks
We can’t help ourselves. Individuals can do a lot to improve their chances of surviving an unconventional attack. All that is needed is for them to take a few simple steps to prepare and respond.
Public officials will tell us what to do. In fact, RAND’s research has found that the dangers will happen so quickly that individuals often must act as the first line of defense in the first critical hours before officials can provide aid. Your ability to assess the situation and respond correctly could keep you safe.
Always Evacuate. Evacuating is not always the best course of action. Assessing the type of threat should determine if evacuation is necessary. In a biological threat, for example, it’s better to stay put and wait for advice as to when and where to get medical attention.
Always Take Shelter. Taking shelter is sometimes not the best course of action, either. Assessing the type of threat will help determine the best course of action, including what kind of shelter is required. In an indoor chemical attack, it’s better to find clean air by opening the windows or leaving the building.
All attacks are the same and one strategy works. Unconventional attacks tend to be clumped together — radiological with nuclear, chemical with biological. They’re all quite different and require individuals to take different actions to survive. There is not a universal response to a terrorist attack. In the first critical hours after an attack, individuals’ responses have to be specific in order to be effective.
For more information on this subject, download the free,printable Rand Corporation Survival Guide here.
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