22 Mar Counter Terrorism advice for businesses following Brussels attack
The BID has been in discussion with the Metropolitan police and the borough commander’s office to issue some counter terrorism advice for Hammersmith businesses in the wake of today’s attacks in Brussels.
Whilst news of the attacks is very worrying, there are no specific threats to the UK at this time but the threat level remains at Severe – meaning that an attack is highly likely and has been since August 2014, when the level was raised. The MET police have deployed many additional high visibility reassurance patrols in London, specifically on the underground and transport hubs and CCTV have been tasked with extra vigilance of Following the attacks in Brussels today, HammersmithLondon would again like to reiterate that there are no direct threats to the UK and that the current UK threat level remains at Severe.
Information is coming through from our contacts at the Metropolitan Police Counter terrorism desk and Borough Security staff but the overall message is to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious. As with Paris, the MET police have deployed many additional high visibility reassurance patrols in London, specifically on the underground and transport hubs and CCTV have been tasked with extra vigilance of suspect packages and suspicious behaviour across the borough to catch any threat.
Local Safer Neighbourhood Teams are on patrol and visiting businesses concerned about the current situation. The HammersmithLondon Safetynet Radio can also be used to receive fast time information from the Borough’s CCTV Control Room about any incidents occurring and runs on a different system to the mobile network and would not be affected.
A Project Argus anti-terrorism training session has been organised for 9:30AM on Friday April 29 at the Westfield shopping centre management suite. Project Argus is tabletop exercise designed for Management personnel to explore and develop the measures needed to prevent, handle and recover from a terrorist incident*.
To register your attendance please email – FH Mailbox – CT Desk
Also a Project Griffin Training Session offering more training and development is being organised for June at the Lyric Theatre.
To register your interest for that session, please email – info@hammersmithlondon.co.uk
Also the Counter Terrorism office has issued the following advice and attached information:
• Have your emergency plans in place
• Make sure all your staff are aware of what they need to do
• Remember your plans but the situation will be fluid and use your best judgement
• Know whether to evacuate your building or keep people inside
• Have a plan that takes the local area into consideration and avoid congregating in one spot
• Be alert of your surroundings
• The current advice from the MET Counter Terrorism office is to evacuate in multiple directions, called the Starburst effect
• Use mobile phones to communicate with staff, if the network is having problems or has gone down, use payphones and landlines
• Remember the BID’s Safetynet Radios runs on a different system and will still work if the mobile phone networks go down
• Encourage staff to get away from the scene and away from the noise
If you require more information about protecting Hammersmith’s pubs and bars, Pubs_and_Clubs_Counter_Terrorism_Advice
Please use the links below and make sure you have up to date plans in place to protect your businesses and staff.
Protecting Against Terrorism – CPNI
National Counter Terrorism Security Office
To contact the Anti-Terrorist Hotline phone 0800 789 321 or for other useful contacts, Useful Security Contacts
Also if the need arises to call 999 please mention Operation Lightning to be put through to the Counter Terrorism Team.
*There is no cost for this event. However, as a thank you for Westfield’s kindness in hosting the event , a voluntary donation to their preferred charity would be greatly appreciated.
Click here to donate.