Businesses across the district are being encouraged to review the new Guide, Shelter, Report (GSR) principles from the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO). The guidance provides practical support to help staff respond quickly, calmly and effectively during a terrorist attack or serious incident, strengthening preparedness across public-facing workplaces.
The GSR principles complement existing emergency procedures and provide practical advice that businesses can build into staff training and security planning. Resources include downloadable posters, short videos and easy-to-use guidance materials for teams.
The current guidance issued to the public who may find themselves involved in a terrorist attack remains as Run Hide Tell.
What is the purpose of the GSR guidance?
The guidance has been created to help businesses and organisations better understand the Guide, Shelter, Report principles, improve staff awareness and preparedness, strengthen emergency response planning, and build confidence in responding during a fast-moving incident.
Whether your organisation already has established security procedures or is just beginning to review emergency planning, the GSR principles can help support and strengthen your approach.
Who is it relevant to?
The guidance is intended for organisations of all sizes, including small and independent businesses, operating in places accessed by the public.
This includes a wide variety of publicly and privately owned spaces, such as:
- Hotels
- Pubs, bars and clubs
- Cafes and restaurants
- Casinos
- Museums, exhibition and conferences centres
- Retail stores
- Schools and universities
- Medical centres and hospitals
- Places of worship
- Transport hubs
- Temporary events
- Parks, public squares and open spaces
- Sports stadiums and leisure centres
- Festivals and music venues
- High streets
- Offices
- Shopping centres and markets
This list is by no means exhaustive and demonstrate the diverse nature of venues and public spaces.
The guidance will be particularly useful for anyone involved in security, operations or emergency planning, including business owners and operators, venue managers, security teams, emergency planners, facilities and operations staff, and policy and compliance leads.
However, the principles are relevant for all staff members including contractors, agency workers and volunteers.
In an emergency, the public will naturally look to staff for guidance and reassurance, regardless of job title or role. Ensuring that everyone working on-site understands the GSR principles can help organisations respond more effectively and confidently during a critical incident.
Further information and resources are available via ProtectUK.
