Guide Shelter Report

Guide Shelter Report (GSR) is a set of dynamic response principles that can be used by businesses and organisations (and University staff) operating within Venues and Public Spaces (VaPS), including small and micro businesses to respond effectively in the event of a terrorist attack. The Run-Hide-Tell protocol is designed to provide independent decision-making on an individual level and provides clear directions to individuals, prompting actions to move away from the source of danger, whether by running or hiding, before contacting the emergency services. Businesses and organisations such as the University, are expected to observe their duty of care responsibilities and take reasonable steps to assure the safety of those at their site or venue if an attack occurs. The principles of GSR are dynamic, can be applied in different orders or simultaneously, may involve University staff guiding individuals who are already running or hiding to designated places of safety within or outside your premises. It may not be possible to guide everyone to safety, especially if they refuse to comply with the actions given by University staff. University staff should guide and shelter individuals so long as it is safe to do so. University staff should not place themselves at further risk if individuals are uncooperative.

GSR Awareness Video

Café Lockdown video

In the event of a terrorist attack, the GSR principles are as follows:

Guide people away from danger

The principle of ‘Guide’ is about having sufficient plans and procedures in place to ensure that your staff have the support and confidence to guide members of the public, visitors and other personnel to safety in the event of a terrorist attack.

Depending on the type of terrorist attack and circumstances, guide could include:

Guiding members of the public towards exit points (evacuation).
Guiding members of the public into your business or organisation and locking doors or other barriers to prevent access to part or all of a site or building (lockdown).
Guiding members of the public to a safe area within a building (invacuation).
Guiding members of the public to perform certain protective actions (e.g. the Remove, Remove, Remove advice for incidents involving hazardous substance exposure).

Shelter people to keep them safe

The principle of ‘Shelter’ is about having sufficient plans and procedures in place to ensure that your staff are prepared to shelter members of the public, visitors and other personnel in the event of a terrorist attack. Depending on the type of terrorist attack and circumstances, shelter could include:

Sheltering people in a safe area away from windows and external walls (invacuation).
Sheltering people inside a locked and secure building (lockdown).
Sheltering at an appropriate external location (e.g. locations selected in advance as part of a small group dispersal plan).

Report to police by calling 999

The principle of ‘Report’ is about having sufficient plans and procedures in place to ensure that your staff can report an incident safely in the event of a terrorist attack. A person should only attempt to report once they are not in immediate danger.

Depending on the reporting procedures of your business or organisation, reporting to the emergency services may involve:

Individual staff members directly contacting the emergency services.
Reporting the incident to senior staff or Campus Security personnel so that they can inform the emergency services.

All staff should be encouraged to follow the ETHANE mnemonic to enable effective reporting to the emergency services.