A storm, a flood or a terrorist attack. Although you will probably proceed differently in each situation, some rules for your own safety do not change in a crisis situation. “There can be three or an infinite number of specific rules, but the important thing is to stay safe and not take unnecessary risks,” security expert Roman Brunik says in the podcast.
You can find the audio version of the podcast here:
You can cling to them quite unexpectedly, for example like hundreds of Czech tourists who got stuck not only in the Middle East at the turn of February and March this year. They left with the idea of a peaceful vacation and suddenly they were dealing with how and when they would even get home. Due to a crisis situation, however, sometimes you don’t even have to stick your heels out. And that’s why it’s good to know how to behave. Those who are prepared are not surprised, says the old saying. And in crisis situations, this is more than doubly true.
1. Give yourself some distance
This is universal advice for rescuers, police officers, firefighters and others who regularly find themselves in similar situations. We often feel that we need to react quickly and rush into action immediately and headlong. At the same time, experts recommend the exact opposite. “Stop and get some distance. Feel free to take not only an imaginary but also a real step back from the scene of the crisis at that moment,” says security expert Roman Brunik. “This is because you give the brain a signal that you are safe yourself, and you can start to help carefully and with a cool head.” This way, you will come by two seconds, but you will gain much more space to stop wasting time.
2. Don’t be afraid to help
Don’t be indifferent, ask questions, offer to help, feel free to hand out tasks. “Try to avoid the bystander effect, where everyone is watching what happened but no one is actually doing anything,” explains the expert. “So if no one has done it yet and you can, feel free to take the lead.”
But at the same time, he says that it is important to think about your own safety even at such a moment and if you decide to help, always first evaluate whether it could endanger you. Make sure that there is no electric current in the place, that there is no fire starting somewhere, or that the supposed injured person can attack you. Such a risk is never worth helping.
3. Fear or panic?
One leads to safety, the other threatens even in everyday life. “Beware of panic, of the kind of freezing that can really endanger you in crisis situations,” emphasizes Roman Brunik. On the contrary, according to him, fear can protect you and is rather helpful in a crisis. “It prevents you from crossing some boundaries, which are often unhealthy,” he adds. “It just should ideally be controlled and not prevent you from, for example, providing first aid.”
4. Exercise
Some people have an aversion to it. Perhaps because he still experienced civil defense exercises under the previous regime. Or, at best, we consider them something ridiculous, embarrassing, or something that distracts from work at the most inopportune moment. After all, anyone can go outside the building. But when you’re running down a smoky corridor or you know exactly how many floors you have to the nearest escape exit, every unpleasant exercise is priceless. Regardless of practicing heart massage, which can save someone’s life.
5. Think preventively
Some dangerous situations you can avoid quite well, but other times you will find yourself in them without even knowing how. Whether as a bystander or an active participant. The Maják application, co-authored by Roman Brunik, is designed for just such moments.
“It helps on several levels,” explains the expert. “There is a preventive section of advice and instructions, but also contacts for embassies and other useful information. And then there are also functions that you will actually use in a crisis, for example a silent alarm, a silent call directly to the police or other emergency services, the possibility of localization, which a police officer or other worker on the emergency line will receive with an accuracy of five meters.” You can download it to your smartphone for free.
