Hostage Safe | Security Reaction

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Far too often we here of gunman in a standoff with police. As we sit, tuned in to our favorite TV news station, we slowly begin to learn the full details. More than just a lone crazed gunman, the captor has fourteen hostages that are being held against their will. Men, women and young children, hands and feet duct taped, sit helplessly in a circle around the captor. There’s no clear shot for a sniper and the captor refuses to speak to a hostage negotiator. As demands are made for the police to back up, a male hostage is picked from the circle of hostages and severely beaten. He had earlier pushed the captor who had threatened his wife and he’s now lying on the floor bleeding. How will you survive?

Tip #1 – Don’t give up hope. The police, FBI and other agencies will continue to try to talk the captor into a conversation. When this happens, the hostage negotiators primary task will be to establish a sense of hope in the captor. The captor, as distraught as he (or she, but highly unlikely) may be, must see a reason to live. Although hours may pass, an effective negotiator can often establish some hope in the mind of the captor. Once this is achieved, the captor will be made to realize that he will be held accountable for any actions taken against the hostages. This may be the beginning of the end to your captivity.

Tip #2 – Do not fight with the captor, either before or during the hostage crisis. Chances are likely that you will suffer serious injury. If the captor perceives you as a threat, he may very well shoot you first. Keep a low profile and appear weak. Do everything you can to not draw attention to yourself.

Tip #3 – If asked to empty your pockets or purse, give the captor everything. Do not try to deceive the him by hiding something. If you are caught, you will be made an example of.

Tip #4 – The first fifteen minutes of any hostage situation is the most dangerous. During the first few minutes of the seizure the captor will be confused, excited, scared and full of adrenaline. It is during this time that any sudden movement or actions on your part may set off the captor. Don’t be a hero. Your actions may result in death or serious bodily injury to you, your loved ones or other innocent hostages. As time passes, the captor will become more calm, more rational and his actions will be the result of thought, not impulse.

Tip #5 – Be cooperative with the captor. Only speak when spoken to and avoid making any type of suggestions to the captor. Try to be pleasant, watch your body language and tone of voice. You do not want to appear as if you are belittling the captor. He may be suffering from a mental disorder or learning disability. Any emotion or anger in your voice or body language may be exaggerated in the eyes of the captor. For this reason, it is imperative that you remain as neutral as possible.

Tip #6 – After some time has passed and you feel like you know a little about the captor, try to use that to your advantage. If you feel you can establish a mutual connection, do so gently and slowly. Try to stay away from conversations about politics or current events, lean more towards family, friends and children. This is always a difficult tactic, as the captor may have just lost his children in a custody battle or his family to a horrible automobile accident. I would only recommend using this if you are sure your conversation will not invoke an adverse reaction.

Tip #7 – If the standoff continues for a day or more, start to think about ways you can benefit the captor. Offer to act as a negotiator on his behalf. Tell him you will speak for him if he needs you to. When doing so, do not try to send secret messages to police or censor the captor’s messages in any way. Tell the police or the hostage negotiator exactly what the captrol tells you to say. If you speak the captor’s language, use it when communicating with him.

Tip #8 – Ask the captor for things you may need. If you have to take medication, use the restroom, drink water, eat, let the captor know. He may decline your request, but he probably won’t abuse you for asking.

Tip #9 – Only try to escape if you are absolutely sure you will make it. If not, the captor will punish you severely and you may lose your life over a failed escape attempt.

Tip #10 – If a rescue effort is made and a police entry team burst onto the scene, drop to the ground and try to take cover. Comply with the entry team and know that you may be handcuffed in the process. It is common procedure for the police to handcuff everyone until such time they know who the captor is. Sometimes the police will not be sure how many captors there are.

Remember, your one and only goal in a hostage situation is to make it out alive. Although not all of these tips will work in every hostage situation, following most of them may help save your life.