Preparedness for when

Karmacat

I *loved* Black Sheep! Excellent suggestion

mardatha

Personally I'd never ever go upstairs in any kind of trouble. Because all they have to do is set fire to the bottom and you're (ahem) toast.

Karmacat

Fair point. I was thinking of if they were just coming up to the window and peering around ... plus my ceilings are quite low, and I could actually clamber out and let myself fall - it really wouldn't be far ...

Very interesting ad-hoc exercise, this.

NewShadow

Not sure if this would be of interest?

UK's National Counter Terrorism Security Office publishes new advice on what to do in gun attack in wake of terrorist atrocities in Paris

'Run and hide, don't play dead': What to do in a terror attack

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/12004769/What-to-do-in-Paris-style-attack-Should-you-run-and-hide-or-play-dead.html

For me, specifically this bit

Dynamic lockdown is the ability to quickly restrict access and egress to a site or building (or part of) through physical measures in response to a threat, either external or internal," said Nactso, a branch of the National Police Chiefs' Council.

I think I'm going to consider the best ways to secure my home and make it as innocuous as possible - not only for this, but because there are a fair few idiot students around and I've had someone try and get in before (drunk out of their mind, kicking my door because their key wouldn't work!)

I live in what was an old doctors surgery, so front door is metal reinforced, I've a large enclosed porch/hall area, thick walls, decent blinds, and a back door.

I think (should anything happen near by) I'd be safer in the bathroom (with my book).

Generally I think it's unlikely a group would go door to door in a rural setting - I would think a biological or chemical attack - especially in agricultural areas - would be more 'effective'.

For marauding attacks, in Tunisia/Paris/Berlin/Canada they were interested in the large gatherings of people (tourists, concert goers, or politicians) and focused on where they were assembled.

It could be they would focus on schools or markets over residential areas.

I think it's worth noting in Tunisia the terrorists attacked crowds on the beach, then in the secondary location in the hotel - emphasising the importance of not fleeing to a central location or place of authority during an attack - but even then, they attacked those gathering in the pool area/reception rather than the individual rooms.

ETA:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/developing-dynamic-lockdown-procedures

http://www.thornhill-primary.co.uk/page/?pid=53 - An example of a schools Lockdown procedures - very interesting.

GreyQueen

Perhaps if there were penned farm animals around, a human could sneak in and hunker down and thus hide their heat signature and body shape.

Of course, flocks and herds would have to be penned or in a barn or they would naturally scatter away from the human(s). Unless they were pigs and you had a feed bucket, of course. And it's worth remembering that, until it cools, an engine has a heat signature, too.

A few months ago, I spotted a man walking down a city centre street in a ghillie suit (sans headcovering but with camo face-paint) one Saturday afternoon. I'm extremely good at poker-face and didn't bat an eyelid. He looked a right plonker and, as for why he was doing it, I haven't the slightest idea.:rotfl:

It made me think about clothing and situations, and how there can never ever be one appropriate grey (wo)man style of attire. Let's say, for example, that you are out hiking in Snowdonia and you see me walking towards you. In outdoorsy trousers, walking boots, anorak and carrying a small rucksack, you think 'fellow hiker' and might wish me a cheery good morning as we pass, but there would be nothing to remember or remark upon to others.

Let's imagine that, for some insane reason I'm up a mountain in a ballgown and tiara with sparkly slippers. You'd possibly doubt your eyes or your sanity (you'd definately doubt my sanity) and you'd probably have a few passing mentions of the day you saw the madwoman crossing Striding Edge in big frock. You certainly wouldn't forget what you'd seen or fail to mention it.

Business attire on the beach, a dinner-jacket worn at a Sunday morning carboot sale, trackie pants at a posh job interview, beach shorts at a formal church wedding; all stick out like a sore thumb in the wrong place.

Earlier this year I read a novel whose female protagonist is part of a roving news crew monitoring police wavebands in LA and rushing to get there to film and report the news to then sell to the TV channels - they were effectively news-mercenaries.

The author described the female journalist as dressing in black trousers and flat shoes, a good quality but plainly cut white blouse, and having a decent blazer with a Hermes scarf permanantly buttoned into the pocket. Her goal often involved her getting into places where a journalist would not be welcome, and being able to move around there for long enough to get the news before she was rumbled.

Blazer off, in her black-and-whites, she could pass as wait-staff in many hotels, restaurants and even in elite homes with large staff. Blazer on, with the desginer scarf around her throat, she looked like a professional woman who could easily be at home in offices or shops.

I thought it an interesting pov. I'd like to set an exercise, if others would care to play. Think about where you spend your time (urban/ rural/ homebody/ homeworker/ professional worker at home and/ or overseas/ full-time parent or carer, whatever it is that you do).

What sort of clothing would you wear for most of your activities? How often would you have to change clothing type to blend in with other circumstances? Do you have ways of upping or lowering the quality/ social standing/ memorability of your outfit, and thus of yourself?

A pal who had a job buttonholing people on the street for market research was taught to look at men's shoes when aiming to catch a company director type. Can you tell L0bbs or Church's from M & S at a distant glance? (she could).

Do you wear or carry statement pieces such as fancy eyeglasses, bags, shoes, watches, jewellery? If things got iffy, would you consider removing some of them and hiding them?

If you were all booted and suited and suddenly found yourself on the wrong side of the tracks, or caught up in a civil disturbance against the rich, how easily could you down-brand yourself to avoid notice?

An easy way of becoming less memorable if you owned a swanky handbag would be to stick it inside a prosaic carrier bag from a downmarket store, as one small example.

Today, in my friend's shop, I saw a large gold ring which had been sold for scrap. It was gold but it's 'gem' was a very large heat-treated crystal which was a bizarre and unnatural shade. The crystal made the whole thing look as real as a £6 note and it could have easily come out of a cracker. You could have given it to a young girl to wear as costume jewellery, or worn it as such yourself, and no one would have ever thought it was worth a few tens for the gold. Stealth portable wealth, even.

NewShadow

GreyQueen wrote: »

What sort of clothing would you wear for most of your activities? How often would you have to change clothing type to blend in with other circumstances? Do you have ways of upping or lowering the quality/ social standing/ memorability of your outfit, and thus of yourself?

For me - Dark blue jeans, long sleeved plain darkish coloured t-shirt/light jumper, new dark coloured trainers, and take my bits and bobs about in a black 'school' rucksack.

Like this (but less stylish)



A variant of this is what I wear to work most days, I've have been hiking/camping in it, have been interviewed in it (jacket over the top), go shopping in it every week.

Only thing I wouldn't do would be to meet the Minister or to host a formal event - but I've met with senior aids to Minsters who were wearing similar, and had many delegates to events come dressed in jeans.

Only changes I make for those two situations tends to be black jeans and a pair of black pumps from under my desk.

I'd guess something like this for blokes (tuck in the shirt...and maybe ditch the scarf given it's summer).



I think it's about dressing for the season as much as the location.

And always have a hair bobble!

GreyQueen

Thanks, NewShadow. It's good to have used the stock pictures, too. Hope others will choose to contribute.

When my present trainers (greyish hiking types) wear out, I am going to look for a version of something I previously owned but wore out; black leather sneakers. Versatile, polishable, semi-smart but also casual.

Perplexed_Pineapple

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

..... Scenario I'm imagining is terrorists having attacked the local hostelries and shops which are all open until late in the evening then, because of no readily available police presence, they presumably are en route but perhaps 30 miles away, doing door to door in the village because there was no hindrance to this and methodically eliminating those who are inside. Where would you go under those circumstances? I know this is an extreme situation to envisage but if the terrorists encounter no opposition would they keep killing until they did? I still think the only option for us would be to at least try to put some distance between us and the village and hope we could convince any police/armed forces/rescue force that we weren't the bad guys. I'd at least like to go out trying and not just be a sitting Canard!

Delurking to say that I doubt any terrorists would try going door to door in a rural community. Rural communities have farmers. Who have shotguns. I'm sure my neighbours in this quiet village are more "tooled up" than the average city block. I think a terrorist attack in our local city, prominent in a number of ways and with a large international population, is far more likely and am always alert when out and about in the populated areas.

greenbee

It's not just the farmers PP... all the city boys who commute from here have large collections of shotguns... (mind you, I wouldn't like to rely on them to hit anything in a crisis...)

NewShadow

greenbee wrote: »

It's not just the farmers PP... all the city boys who commute from here have large collections of shotguns... (mind you, I wouldn't like to rely on them to hit anything in a crisis...)

Or, at least, not twice anyway - recoil hurts if you're not expecting it...