Kidnapping – Handling of Hostage Situation & Role of the Corporate Security
A thought leader and an action catalyzer rolled into one – Anil Puri is a rare combination of a visionary, and one who has mastered the art of strategic and tactical thinking to the core. He has been using this combination to seed new ideas and to lead them to their implementation on-ground. This has been a consistent feature of his career. He has rich experience of approximately 35 years in corporate in diverse domains & from functional managerial level to apex as chairman of a corporate group. His acumen for handling crisis management has prompted him to share his exclusive and niche experiences. He will be discussing the topic in four distinct parts in separate articles; Part 1 – Hostage situation & ways to deal with it, Part 2 – Negotiation skills, Part 3 – How to survive an abduction or hostage situation, and finally in Part 4 – Role of the corporate security. He will take you through realistically at ground zero in visualization and response matrix through series of these four articles. Hostage Hostage can best be defined as a person given to or forcibly and unlawfully held by a person, party or organization etc, as a security or pledge, or for ransom, release, exchange for prisoners or pending the fulfillment of an agreement etc. Activity Pattern During Hostage Situation Before the incident: As with any scenario, planning is crucial. Of course, the circumstances of these incidents can vary so wildly that it’s difficult to prepare in any comprehensive way. Equally, you don’t want to spread fear among your staff by overplaying the likelihood of a hostage attack. However, a few general emergency strategies can be applied. Firstly, ensure that everyone knows where the nearest emergency exits are located and where they should regroup outside. Staff should evacuate immediately upon receiving an alert (ignoring possessions/ work), and should proceed in an orderly fashion out of the building. Secondly, you may like to create a series of code words for use in an emergency situation, which communicate very simply what is happening. In highrisk buildings or locations, the availability of panic buttons could also be an important precaution. Likewise, consider introducing security guards and/ or security screens. Thirdly, it is also worth thinking about incorporating advice on dealing with difficult customers into your staff training in order to prevent any situations from escalating out of control. We also need to understand what the customer has experienced prior to this point. During the incident: Staff will be looking to you for reassurance so you need to remain calm and controlled. Panicking will not help anyone. If you have a senior role, you have a responsibility to lead the team through this experience. But the people in your team could react in many different ways. Some may be angry, some frightened and some calm. Be flexible in your approach, but consistent with your messages. You don’t want rumours to start. It’s also important to keep a close eye on your staff because an initial shock reaction can quickly evolve into frustration. Guard against people who want to be a hero. Look out for anyone who seems angry and make sure they do not disappear out of sight. They might attempt to re-enter the room or building, but that would be an extremely dangerous situation, which must be left to the professionals. If you’re in contact with the hostage-taker (at least before emergency services arrive), stay calm and agree to everything they ask. Only provide them with information that is essential. Attempting to talk them out of it at this stage could inflame the situation. Just as everyone else should try to keep their cool, it is vital that the intruder is kept as calm as possible. It is probable that this is the first time that they have done something of this nature, which means that they’re likely to be stressed too. Their adrenalin will be pumping, but you don’t want them to do anything rash. As HR director, you’ll be expected to gather information, do a head count and keep your staff together in one place. Act as an intermediary between police and employees by sharing information if possible, in order to reassure your team that the situation is under control. Try not to let anyone leave in the early stages. You need to keep the situation contained and controlled. Equally, ensure that no one talks to the media at this point. Any media coverage driven by panic or sensationalism could again be inflammatory. Also remember that dealing directly with hostage takers is a delicate skill and leave it to police specialists. After the incident: Individuals respond to trauma in different ways so assess each person on an individual basis rather than as a group. Try to gauge each individual’s state of mind and how they feel about work. Some will feel that continuing to come into work is the best way forward, while others may want a few days’ leave. However, it’s important that counseling is made available to everyone – not just in the short-term, but in the longterm too. One thing that we know about post-traumatic stress is that it may not become immediately apparent. A stressful experience may bring feelings or memories to light immediately or it may be months later. Around one in three people will develop post-traumatic stress disorder, but nearly everyone will display symptoms of post-traumatic stress for the first month. Such symptoms include depression, feelings of guilt, anxiety, anger and grief. Staff may experience flashbacks/ nightmares, avoidance, numbing and a feeling of being ‘on-guard.’ The issue is that life threatening episodes undermine a belief that life is fair and safe and that someone is secure. It is vital to look out for these symptoms and allow employees time to talk about how they’re feeling. They need to be allowed to ask questions and, most importantly, to get back to their normal life and routine. Although an unlikely occurrence, it is…