1 (c) 2007. Lina Kolesnikova Managing Assistance to the Victims of Terrorist Acts. European experience Managing Assistance to the Victims of Terrorist

(c) 2007. Lina Kolesnikova1

Managing Assistance to the Victims of Managing Assistance to the Victims of Terrorist Acts. European experienceTerrorist Acts. European experience

September 2007, BrusselsCities Against Terrorism

Lina KolesnikovaConsultant


Introduction

March 11 Memorial Day expressing its solidarity to all

victims of terrorism (European Union) Madrid attacks

July 7 London bombings

September 3 The Day of Solidarity in the fight against terrorism

(Russia) Beslan hostage taking

September 11 New York. Twin Towers attack


Sad statistics of last years

Tens and hundreds of attacks- Mass hostage takings- Attacks on air transport- Attacks on ground transport- Attacks on underground transport- Attacks on railways- Terrorist raids on cities- High-jacking- Suicide bombings on transport and at mass

gatherings

High death toll


Definition of victims

Tertiary

Secondary

Primary

Degree of presence and direct impact

min


Definition of victims (2)

Those who are forced to be suicide-

bombers


Pre-phase Hot phase Cold phase

“Immediate on attack” actions

Pre-phase: - before the terrorist act (response planning, intelligence, etc.)- during the event until the hot phase (mediation, perimeter

establishment, etc.)

Hot phase (for example, military action):- neutralising the terrorists- creating acceptable conditions for rescue services to act

- accessibility- safety


1 2 3 4 5 6

Cold phase

Short-term and long-term post-attack actions

New reality (long-term):1. inquiry (investigation, report, re-adjustment)2. long-term rehabilitation

Cold phase. 6 steps:1. on-the-spot treatment and evacuation2. assigning identification and local pre-hospitalisation

treatment3. victims sorting, dispatching and transporting4. hospitalisation (medical treatment)5. discharge from hospitals6. rehabilitation of victims, relatives, rescue teams and

society (all categories of victims)

New reality


Framework: Functional matrix

Victims

Phases

Primary (Direct) Secondary Tertiary (indirect)

Directly involved

Witnesses/ bystanders

Relatives/ friends/ associates

First responders (special forces, police, fire-fighters, military, rescue personnel)

Professionals who assist direct victims (medical personnel, psychologists, spiritual assistance, NGOs like Red Cross, etc.

Lay public. individuals in a community who are impacted by the secondary effects of disaster. Reached largely through the media

On attack (pre- and hot phases)

Short-term (Cold phase)

Long-term (rehabilitation). New reality


Framework: Immediate (types of support)

Victims

Phases


Directly involved

Witnesses/ bystanders


First responders

Professionals assisting direct victims

Lay public

On attack (pre- and hot phases)

Non-disclosure of sensitive private info (religion, citizenship, big bosses and their relatives, etc.)

Evacuation (move out of the scene)

Information dispatching (inform them that their relatives are impacted)

Information dispatching (what happened, what to expect about timing and conditions of their work, etc.)

Information dispatching (what happened, what to expect about timing and conditions of their work, etc.)

Information dispatching (what happened without terrifying details/pictures)

Continuous emergencies - supplies (water, food, etc.)

Medical support (if necessary)




Psychological support (hot lines - psycho assistance)

Information dispatching (explain them what happened)

Psychological support (splitting in small groups, assign psychologists to each group)

Psychological support (anti-stress, anti-shock, post-traumatic stress disorder)



Hot lines (info gathering, dispatching, psycho assistance - help lines)

Insurance coverage (in contracts)


Framework: Short-term (types of support)

Victims

Phases


Directly involved Witnesses/ bystanders


First responders

Professionals assisting direct victims

Lay public

Short-term (Cold phase)

On-the-spot treatment and evacuation

Information dispatching (general info)

Information dispatching (conditions of victims, who is where, etc.)




Assigning identification and local on-site pre-hospitalisation treatment


Transport for relatives to get to the place (whatever place is appropriate)




Sorting, dispatching and transporting

Victim-witness protection (if necessary)

Accommodation on place (as appropriate)

Psychological support (anti-stress/anti-shock)

Psychological support (anti-stress/anti-shock)

Hospitalisation Supplies (food, …) on place (as appropriate)

Discharge from hospitals

Psychological support

Immediate medico-psychological rehabilitation and support


Logistics - those non-local victims to be sent to their homes

Legal - to those who lost relatives, assist with paperwork


Logistics - transportation of bodies. Potentially, transportation of survivors and relatives back to their residence

Financial assistance - to those who lost relatives (e.g. for funeral)

Legal and financial - to unattended children or incapable people who lost their parents/mentors


Framework: Long-term (types of support)

Victims

Phases


Directly involved Witnesses/ bystanders


First responders Professionals assisting direct victims

Lay public

Long-term rehabilitation. New reality

Medical assistance (regular medical surveillance; continuous healing of injuries/ consequences of the terrorist attack - PTSD)

Information dispatching (general info, lessons learned/ investigation report)





Legal assistance; it is necessary to define who is victim of terrorist attack


Legal assistance (where necessary)

Medical assistance (regular medical surveillance; continuous healing of injuries/ consequences of the terrorist attack - PTSD/ anti-fatigue/ anti-shock/ anti-stress)

Psychological support (hot lines - psycho assistance); professional and continuous anti-stress/ anti-shock/ PTSD/ anti-fatigue)


Social assistance: not bureaucratic treatment of people

Preparedness trainings/info/…

Social assistance (where necessary);they should not request/ require support, but it should be readily offered

Legal - normally covered in contracts (some of them legally can not be investigated)



Financial compensation of material and moral damages (various types of grants, etc.)


Financial compensation of material and moral damages (various types of grants, etc.)

Financial - normally covered in contracts and by insurance

Psychological assistance and long-term rehabilitation

Awareness program informing victims about their rights and benefits

Transport to the place Psychological support (hot lines - psycho assistance); professional and continuous anti-stress/ anti-shock/ PTSD/ anti-fatigue


Psychological support Preparedness trainings/info/…




When support activities should start?

Support of victims and their relatives should start during the terrorist attack

Support of responders is also very important, especially in case of continuous emergencies

But Considered a secondary task. Appropriate

agencies are not present at command post Planning of relatives and victims support is

generally overlooked and priority is given to hot phase (neutralisation of terrorists)

Work with mass media must be organised during the crisis


Criminal justice process and information sharing

Information sharing and delivery it to those victims and their relatives

Right to be informed Perception, impression that nothing is happening Receive information and an explanation about

the progress of their case Informed decisions regarding participation in

criminal justice process Victim-protection


The role of civil society

The role of civil society is crucial Wide co-operation with NGOs is necessary State has not enough financial and human resources to

provide assistance to all categories of victims in long-term Official and non-official information channels Official and non-official channels for financial assistance

provision Mature NGO sector helps to establish trust, to overcome

distrust because of possible bureaucracy and corruption


Training to responders

More people busy with assistance Training to people, who are responsible for

assistance Creation of a service centre for psychology of

catastrophes People who involved in negotiations must be

trained Psychologists involved in assistance programs

need assistance and training


Training to all

Training people (we are all potential victims). Psychological assistance to indirect victims

Knowledge of civil defence saved many lives, so it is necessary to

Reanimate courses of civil defence, make them absolutely accessible and to add all information about new possible threats

Information should be delivered in simple and remember well forms (for example, comics and leaflets)

For schoolchildren, special classes should be organised by schools

It is necessary to teach people how to speak with terrorists (psychology) how to maintain water balance how economize force and rehabilitate muscles in case of long

immobility on safe behavioural patterns, in particular in normal life, as well

as during the rescue operation and afterwards how to deal with possible long-term consequences (stress, etc.)


Support and assistance for special category of victims

Programs for people who might be forced to become suicide-bombers

These programs may include: provision of financial and humanitarian assistance to

widowers, prostitutions or raped women in closed societies (i.e. Muslim communities in Europe)

explanatory work with fathers and heads of clans should be organized through muftis

Provision of pensions to widowed women and free access to professional retraining


What should we do?

Terrorism crisis and disaster management should be established, adopted, properly maintained and regularly tested.

Planning response as a whole, and not at individual agencies, categories of victims or processes. Planning for support and assistance to victims should be an organic part of the overall terrorist response.

Unbiased and unequivocal leadership “owning” the whole operation from A to Z is crucial to withstand terrorist attacks, to establish appropriate command chain, to ensure identification and availability of competencies and information exchange, and to drive the operation smoothly from the intake to the successful completion.

Establish Terrorism Victims fund to compensate victims for terrorism-related expenses.

Verify and establish ability of public health systems to understand and to prepare for terrorist attacks (in addition to other involved agencies and organisations).

Enforce learning from lessons. Specific arrangements should be implemented to ensure that lessons are learned.


Managing Assistance to the Victims of Managing Assistance to the Victims of Terrorist Acts. European experienceTerrorist Acts. European experience

September 2007, Brussels

Lina KolesnikovaConsultant

E-mail: [email protected]

Rossnova Solutions

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1 (c) 2007. Lina Kolesnikova Managing Assistance to the Victims of Terrorist Acts. European experience Managing Assistance to the Victims of Terrorist