Terrorist attack update for staff

The tragic events at the weekend in London show how little is needed to cause catastrophic injury to innocent members of the public and how we all need to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious.

During this time of reflection our thoughts are with those who were injured, the families who lost loved ones and of course with our colleague emergency responders who moved into the area to treat the injured and save as many lives as possible.

Although terrorism is rare in the UK, recent events clearly demonstrate that an attack could happen at any time or place without warning. The current threat to the UK stands at severe, which means an attack is highly likely.

As the Trust continues to ensure it is able to respond to incidents of this nature, should they occur within the east of England, staff are reminded that they may inadvertently find themselves in the middle of an escalating incident without warning and as such they need to ensure their safety along with those around them.

As well as information being on the Trust Intranet site the government have a number of useful websites which provide useful information for staff. There are some simple steps we should all take to protect ourselves and our colleagues.

Remain vigilant

Following the three terrorist attacks in the UK over the last few months, we all need to remain vigilant and immediately report any suspicious activity especially regarding the security of Trust premises, vehicles and equipment.  Following these simple steps will help protect all of us.

• Always check who is following behind you and challenge – if safe to do so.
• Wear your ID in a prominent position.
• Ensure doors and windows are closed when you leave your station/place of work.
• Don’t prop front doors (or any access door) open.
• Make a note of the registration number of any suspicious vehicles and report them.
• If you see anything suspicious, report it to the counter terrorist hotline on 0800 789 321, contact EOC or dial 999 if there is an emergency, or 101 if not an immediate emergency.

• Keep all marked or unmarked vehicles safe and secure at all times.
• When travelling to and from work please wear a jacket or other item which covers the Trust insignia and/or rank markings and do not leave high visibility coats and other uniform on display in private vehicles, or any items that could be used as a means of identity for a criminal.
• Any surplus or old items of uniform or equipment must be returned to your base station, where arrangements are in place for their disposal. Again this is to help protect the security of our staff and the public.
• Don’t let anyone tailgate you into any secure areas at NHS premises, including hospitals and your own station/place of work. 

 

If you are threatened

• If you are in doubt or concerned about your safety, do not approach
• Follow the ‘stay safe’ principles; if you are under threat, then escape if you can by running and use your emergency button
• If you can’t run or escape then hide from the attacker; think about good cover such as substantial brickwork or reinforced walls, and if you can lock yourself in. Turn your phone to silent and be quiet.
• Tell EOC or the police of your location and where the suspects are.
• Remember, run, hide and tell.

An information film that provides advice on the steps to take to keep safe in the event of a firearms or weapons attack has been released to the public by the National Counter Terrorism Policing. The public stay safe video can be found at the npcc site.

Both these websites complement the training staff will have received during their recent PU training.

Trust your instincts, because we do. If something doesn’t seem right, report it. We can all do our bit to keep each other safe.

Published 8th June, 2017