Staying safe at events is something we often take for granted but it’s vital to know what to do if things go wrong.

“Critical incidents are confusing and unpredictable, and therefore decision making can be challenging,” says Andy Livingstone, Senior Sergeant for Taupō and Tūrangi Police.

“If people have these three words in their minds and have thought about how to apply them beforehand, they will likely revert to this, when experiencing a stressful situation.”

Council venues already meet strict safety requirements with trained staff and security measures. Adopting the New Zealand Police’s Crowded Places strategy of ‘Escape – Hide - Tell’ adds another layer of support to the community.

Taupō District Council venues manager Bryce Green wants everyone to understand how to respond to a critical incident in a crowded place.

“It’s incredibly unlikely to happen but knowing what to do during an active armed offender attack in a crowded place can save lives. Some events in our district attract thousands of people, so it’s important to understand how you can stay safe.

We can all do our part to help in the unlikely event of an attack.”

The key things to know are:

Escape – move quickly and quietly away from danger if it is safe to do so.

Hide – stay out of sight and silence your phone.

Tell – Call the Police on 111 when it is safe to do so.

“We think about our safety when travelling or at home, so it makes sense to think about it when we go out to crowded places like concerts or sporting events too,” says Bryce.

“This initiative from Police is a great idea and contributes to making our communities safer.”

Andy Livingstone says the Escape, Hide, Tell message is important as it conveys a principle of response or action people can take and adapt to any critical situation, which are always unexpected and unique.

“Finally, it is very risky to pause and film these incidents on a phone. Attempting to obtain social media footage for later is inherently risky and the principals of Escape, Hide and Tell should come first.”

You can find out more information at www.police.govt.nz/advice-services/protecting-crowded-places-attack

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