Northern Ireland security company Mercury Security Management has teamed up with the security consultancy and trainers PS5 on a new piece of training for businesses to prepare for a terrorist attack.
With the terrorist threat level in the United Kingdom set at severe, another attack is considered by the UK Government as highly likely. Hence the four-hour training course, titled ‘We Go Prepared: Living in an Age of Terrorism’ will show companies what can be done to protect their employees, organization and customers from a terrorist attack, including the correct protocols and procedures to deal with the attack and its aftermath. Pictured left to right are Mercury CEO Frank Cullen; Garry Suddaby, Mercury Training and Development Manager; and PS5 CEO Steve Collins.
Frank Cullen said: “The problem with international terrorism in this day and age unfortunately needs no explanation. In our own daily security work, we have become increasingly aware of the threat of terrorist attacks and the need for vigilance to ensure that we are best prepared to deal with worst case scenarios if they should happen.
“So we thought it would be a good idea, in association with our long-standing training partner PS5, to share the knowledge and expertise that we have collectively accumulated with the business world at large and help them prepare as best they can for every eventuality.”
The training has been designed by PS5’s Steve Collins, an authority on weapons-related crime and personal protection from violence, aggressive behaviour and terrorism. Collins has worked as an adviser to UK, USA and Middle Eastern government bodies and with law enforcement agencies, government departments and security people in 60 countries, including the United States’ Department of Defense (DoD) in their TSWG (Technical Support Working Group) research directive against terrorism.
Steve Collins said: “Without question, terrorism is a global issue and we all need to develop a unified approach to these terrorist attacks and cultivate a more timely and effective response before the police and emergency services arrive on the scene. Recent history shows us that terrorism attacks can and will occur in just about every imaginable location possible so our course will look at ‘hard targets’ such as government buildings, airports, military installations and embassies – and ’soft targets’ such as hospitals, schools, shopping centres and malls, entertainment venues, etc… unfortunately that list goes on and on.
“Modern day terrorist attacks come in many forms and our course will look at a variety of scenarios including improvised explosive devices (IEDs), suicide bombers, active shooter incidents and the use of what we call ‘melee’ weapons which are used at close quarters such as edged weapons, blunt impact striking weapons and acid.
“All companies have a legal, ethical, and moral responsibility to mitigate against the risk of a terrorist act and to prepare for the possibility of one. While we do not pretend to hold the answers to the world’s terrorist problem, our unique training course will show what can be done to protect your employees, your organization and your customers from a terrorist attack, and if the worst were to happen, the correct protocols and procedures to deal with the attack and its aftermath, before the police and emergency services arrive.”
About the course
‘We Go Prepared: Living in an Age of Terrorism’ has ten modules covering a range of topics from recognising a terrorist attack and identifying potential terrorist behaviour to understanding weapons and self-preservation in the event of an attack. Companies can book for staff on site at their own premises or off site at Mercury’s Training Academy near Lisburn. The company will be announcing a number of public dates and venues to which small businesses can send delegates.
For details or to book a place, call Mercury on 028 9262 0510 or email [email protected].
About Mercury Security Management
Based in Lisburn, formed in 2001, the company also operates out of offices in Dublin, Limerick and London. Visit www.mercurysecurity.biz.
