“Run, tell, hide”: UK police release video on what to do in a terrorist attack
It looks like a trailer for a Hollywood film about terrorism.
Shots of happy families relaxing poolside at a sunny resort give way to a close-up of a woman's panicked face as she hears gunfire and turns to run. Families start fleeing as a woman shouts "we have to get out of here now!"
It's clear from the outset that, while the footage may be fictional, no suspension of disbelief is required. This could happen to you. And, if it does, you had better be prepared.
The British Government's four-minute film advising people what to do in the event of a terror attack overseas is deliberately confrontational.
Parents pick up their children and run as the shots continue to resound, a woman narrowly avoids running into a stream of bullets, a hotel staff member is forced to barricade himself in the laundry room, a woman lies face down and motionless on the patio...
"If you hear gunshots, think about your safest option," the voiceover says to the tune of dramatic background music. "If there is a safe route, run. This is the best option."
The video pushes the "run, hide, tell" message that was relayed to the British public after a gunman opened fire on a Tunisian beach resort in June 2015, killing 38 people, including 30 British tourists.
And it pulls no punches with its advice. Insist others run with you, but don't let their indecision slow you down. Make sure your route doesn't put you in the line of fire. Try not to get trapped. The police may be unable to distinguish between you and an attacker.
In the wake of the recent terror attacks in the UK, it's no surprise that the government is on heightened alert to any future assaults and wants to keep its citizens safe, whether they are at home or abroad. Firearms and weapons attacks "are thankfully rare", the video voiceover states, but "being prepared and knowing how to respond is important and may save lives".
Which is why, I would argue, that the video is important. It may have all the characteristics of a good Hollywood thriller - action, suspense, a pulse-racing soundtrack - but it's depicting a scenario that many have been caught up in in real life. And many more caught be caught up in in future.
Can you be too overdramatic when you're trying to convince people they need to know how to handle such an extreme situation?
More sensitive souls - or children - may find the video disturbing, or even upsetting, but it's important they know what to do in the event of a terror attack. Sometimes a bit of fearmongering is what's needed to get people to sit up, take notice and take something seriously.
While we in New Zealand can sometimes feel remote from the major terror attacks, we shouldn't give in to a false sense of security.
There are the many Kiwis who travel to countries which have been victim to terrorist attacks: the UK, France, Bali, Turkey... The list goes on.
The New Zealand government would be wise, I would suggest, to create a similar video for Kiwis, showing us exactly how we should react if we find ourselves under terrorist fire on our own shores or on holiday.
After the terror attack in London's Westminster in March, Massey University teaching fellow John Battersby warned that a similar-style "leaderless" attack could very well happen here.
"Anyone who is inspired enough, for any cause, could use this tactic, and we need to think how we would deal with that if it would happen," he said.
"Our society is different, we are a lot further away, and we are often not directly affected, and I wouldn't want people to over-react. But on the other hand we need to think about the fact there is a certain tactic which is becoming a preferred method to deliver terror. As it was in Nice and Berlin, the technology used is unsophisticated and you may not see it coming."
Written by Lorna Thornber. First appeared on Stuff.co.nz.