The threat of a terrorist attack is now a very real and serious danger. The traditional view of a terror campaign being targeted at government locations has changed and it is now acknowledged that it is the public which is often the terrorist’s target – in particular crowded locations, such as public transport and shopping centres, where large numbers of people gather, have become key targets. It is essential for those involved with safety and the security industry to have realistic and objective training to confront this threat. Rutherford Training Consultants have tackled this issue and with their experienced trainers, many of whom are former members of the police and special forces, have developed a Terror Threat Awareness Training course suitable for anyone working in public areas.
The pilot of this course was held in the Sorensen Centre at Skills for Security’s Security House on 2 June 2009 and received an extremely positive response. The half day programme included the history of terrorism and the ‘New Reality’ that we face from current terrorist organisations. The types of weapons that terrorists might use in an attack were explained, and delegates learned the planning process, risk assessment procedures and examined relevant case studies.
Robert Knowles, Director of DSTO Ltd stated, ‘After attending this course, I feel confident to create a risk assessment and emergency procedure, and how to respond to a potential terror attack or discovery of an IED on my premises.’ Mark Richards, Security Manager for RISC Security added, ‘Having been in the security industry for over 10 years, I feel this course has opened my eyes to the reality of modern terrorism.’ Ian Rutherford, Director of Business Development at Rutherford Training comments, ‘We were extremely pleased with the feedback that we received from the pilot course. There is definitely a need for this training within the industry and the delegates who attended the pilot were able to better understand their role and responsibilities in the event of an attack and the steps they can take to ensure the safety and security of the public at their work premises.’’
It is extremely important that security personnel in particular are prepared for a terrorist attack and Skills for Security is pleased to accredit this Terror Threat Awareness course, which will be available from August 2009. For further information on this course, please contact Rutherford Training on 01208 816709 or email info@rtc-training.co.uk