How to Survive a Terror Attack

A terror attack is a physically and emotionally traumatic experience. While the attack itself may last only seconds or minutes, the effects of it can resonate throughout a lifetime. Follow these steps to survive a terror attack.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Know your primary objective. Staying focused and calm during a terror attack is the best thing you can do to increase your chances of survival. You need to focus on your primary objective, which is getting yourself out of danger as quickly as possible. This means that you cannot allow yourself to panic or freeze in fear. It also means that you must weight other considerations, such as helping other people, against the possibility of your own survival.
2. Find cover. Terrorists frequently plan attacks so that the first bombing or shooting is just a trigger to set off a choreographed string of attacks to maximize damage. Find cover after the first attack since it could well be followed by successive attacks.
3. Follow police instructions and seek medical treatment. It is critical that you follow the instructions of the emergency response teams that arrive at the scene. These professionals are trained to deal with situations like terror attacks and know how to respond. Also, seek medical attention, even if you can't see or feel a wound. You might be suffering from internal damage and shock.
4. Get a psychiatric or psychological evaluation after the attack. A terror attack is a traumatic event that can produce mental and physical health problems in the long term. Speak with a psychiatrist or psychologist to make sure that you are coping with the attack and its aftermath.