The concept of terrorism was such a bizarre thing to Americans in the early 1990’s. I remember an associate of mine describing their first brush with it in a London tube station. There was an announcement about a “suspect parcel” on one of the trains. They were calmly asked to “please exit the station”. They were stunned by how nonchalant it all was; how everyone just calmly filed out of the tube station and rerouted their day over a suspected bomb threat! I can see a little bit more why Londoners were so calm that day. They had been living with threats by the Irish Republic Army (IRA) for quite some time, so they knew how to “handle” it better. In the United States, terror attacks are becoming more prevalent in our day-to-day existence. How are we “handling” it?
See Something, Say Something
There are ways to make sure we, as Americans, are “handling” the increasing threat of terror attacks in our daily lives. We do not have to live in fear, but we do need to be active participants in what is going on around us. Every single American is the “First Line of Defense” to our country’s security. Follow these 3 rules of thumb to ensure to do your part for our safety:
- Be aware of your surroundings. If there is an increased amount of law enforcement activity, or if people are running away from something, don’t just stand there. Move away to a safe distance and observe what is happening.
- Report suspect packages. Packages, gym bags, suitcases or any kind of carrying case should never be sitting unattended. This is a red flag. If there is a suspicious package or bag on a sidewalk sitting all by itself; move away from it and tell a law enforcement official ASAP.
- Report suspicious individuals. A lot of terror attacks have been stopped in their tracks because someone reported people who were acting strange. It can be behavior observed first hand (i.e., like your neighbor or coworker sitting next to you). It can also be behavior witnessed second-hand, such as suspicious social media posts or a stranger on the street leaving a package unattended. If you observe any suspicious behavior, there is no such things as “overreacting” in the security world, contact someone immediately.
Keep Calm and Carry On
This saying was coined by the British government during World War II. British citizens were living in terror during the relentless bombings. The government wanted to rally their citizens to live their lives, so they hung posters all over London with the rallying cry “Keep Calm and Carry On”.
This is a good rule of thumb in today’s world. It’s an unfortunate fact, but the prospect of terror attacks has crossed the oceans and is now residing in our own backyards. The very nature of these types of attacks do not enable us to know when they are going to happen. This could easily cause us to feel like we are living in a constant state of terror, if we let it. So, instead of living in fear of something we have absolutely no control over, we can live proactively; know that they could happen and alert our law enforcement if we see or experience anything suspicious. After all, being in constant fear and burying our heads in the sand it exactly what the terrorists want us to do. Let’s not give them that satisfaction!
SACS Can Help Your Organization Be Prepared
The best way to address a possible terrorist attack, it to be as prepared as possible. SACS Consulting & Investigative Services, Inc. can help your organization be prepared. From training your personnel in active shooter situations, to performing a security and vulnerability assessment of your physical property, SACS has got you covered. Give us a call today at 330-255-1101 to speak to one of our highly qualified professionals about how we can help.