WITS OF SAFETY

Tips to keep your wits

Prepare

• When you enter an unfamiliar building, note the nearest fire exit and how you would reach it. In an emergency, you’ll be able to fall back on this mental shortcut despite being highly stressed.

• Always listen to the safety briefings on aircraft, boats and trains and go through the motions of escape in your head. If you don’t, you are likely to just freeze up if you have to evacuate fast.

• In a taxi, the safest seat is directly behind the driver. In a crash, the driver will instinctively try to protect their part of the car; if they have ill-intentions towards you, you will be harder to reach if you’re behind them.

• The safest seat on an aircraft is by the wing one row behind the exit. You will be close to an escape route and find it easier to remain anonymous in the event of a hijacking.

• The safest room in a hotel is at the back, between the first and fourth floors, furthest from harm during terrorist attack and within reach of a quick exit during a fire.

Act

• In an emergency, do not wait for others to act; most people’s first reaction will be to do nothing.

• If the fire alarm goes off unannounced in your office, leave immediately. If you’re worried about looking foolish, say you’re going to grab the opportunity to take a walk.

• If someone attacks or tries to kidnap you in the street, shout “bomb” or “gun” and run towards other people. Your attacker won’t expect this and won’t like the risk of attention.

• If you are taken hostage, try to humanise yourself but don’t be their friend; drink and eat anything they offer. Try to blend in: hostage-takers may treat troublemakers more harshly.

• If you’re caught up in a riot or terrorist attack, the basic default advice is: “Head down, run fast.”