Staying alive

187 Pages·2006·1.06 MB·English

Staying-Alive-cover.qxp 13.1.2006 8:52 Page 1
I David Lloyd Roberts
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STAYING ALIVE offers expert advice on
security to humanitarian volunteers operating
in conflict zones.
Author David Lloyd Roberts has witnessed
conflict from the viewpoint of both a military
officer and a humanitarian worker. His book
draws on a unique variety of up-to-date
experience.
By explaining the different threats to your
safety, this book lays to rest some of the
mystique surrounding the subject of field
S
security.
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Yes, there are dangers, but with some basic A
understanding of them they can be avoided or Y
at least substantially reduced. As the old I
N
saying goes, “Knowledge dispels fear.”
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You are ultimately the guardian of your own

safety and security.The knowledge provided
A
by this book puts you in a better position to
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draw that critical line between the calculated
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and the unacceptable risk, a line that you, and
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those in your charge, must never cross.
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David Lloyd Roberts
STAYING ALIVE
Safety and security guidelines
for humanitarian volunteers
in conflict areas
InternationalCommitteeoftheRedCross
19AvenuedelaPaix
1202Geneva,Switzerland
T+41227346001 F+41227332057
E-mail:[email protected]
www.icrc.org
QICRC,1999
Revisedandupdatededition,2005
DEDICATION
TomywifeCharlie.
NOTICE:Thisbookcontainsaseriesofguidelinesforthesafetyandsecurityof
staffinthefield.Itdoesnotcoverallsituationsandtheadvicegivenisofageneral
nature.TheInternationalCommitteeoftheRedCrossthereforedeclinesall
responsibilityforcasesinwhichthebook’srecommendationsdonotprovidethe
bestcourseofaction.
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS..................................................... 11
ABOUTTHEAUTHOR ........................................................... 13
FOREWORD .................................................................. 15
INTRODUCTION.................................................................. 17
Chapter1: PERSONALSECURITY ................................... 19
ADJUSTING ......................................................... 19
BEINQUISITIVE...................................................... 20
USEYOURCOMMONSENSEANDJUDGEMENT.................. 20
TAKECAREOFYOURSELF........................................... 20
GROUPSAFETYANDSECURITY ................................... 21
THEAIM.............................................................. 21
Chapter2: THENATUREOFMODERNCONFLICT
ANDTHEBROADRANGEOFCONFLICT
SITUATIONSTHATYOUMIGHTFACE ........... 23
INTERNATIONALARMEDCONFLICT................................ 23
NON-INTERNATIONALARMEDCONFLICT ......................... 24
INTERNALDISTURBANCESANDTENSIONS....................... 25
ADDITIONALFEATURESOFMODERN-DAYCONFLICT............ 27
DIRECTTARGETINGOFHUMANITARIANS......................... 29
THEBLURRINGOFROLESBETWEENHUMANITARIANS
ANDTHEMILITARY.................................................. 30
THE‘‘HEARTSANDMINDS’’ISSUE................................. 31
INTEGRATEDOPERATIONS ......................................... 32
BANDITRYANDCRIME ............................................. 33
CHILDSOLDIERS.................................................... 34
Chapter3: PROTECTIONAFFORDED
BYINTERNATIONALHUMANITARIANLAW... 35
KNOWINGTHELAW................................................. 35
HUMANITARIANAID................................................. 37
MINESANDEXPLOSIVEREMNANTSOFWAR..................... 38
SAFETYZONES...................................................... 40
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Chapter4: THEMAJORTHREATS
TOYOURSAFETYANDSECURITY................. 41
THEMINETHREAT................................................... 41
Anti-personnelmines ....................................... 41
Anti-tankmines .............................................. 44
Dealingwiththeminethreat .............................. 45
Dealingwithanti-personnelmines ....................... 45
Themostdangerousareas
intermsofanti-personnelmines ......................... 46
Dealingwithanti-tankmines .............................. 49
THETHREATFROMARTILLERY,ROCKETSANDMORTARFIRE ... 51
Artillery ........................................................ 51
Mortars........................................................ 53
Howtheseweaponsareused ............................ 53
Dealingwiththeartilleryandmortarthreat............. 55
THETHREATFROMSNIPERANDRIFLEFIRE ....................... 56
Whatisasniper?............................................ 56
Whatcanasniperachieve? ............................... 57
Whatequipmentdoesasniperuse? .................... 57
Dealingwiththesniperthreat............................. 57
Warningshots................................................ 60
THEAMBUSHTHREAT .............................................. 61
Dealingwiththeambushthreat........................... 62
Reactingtoanambush..................................... 62
Encounteringarecentambush ........................... 63
THETHREATFROMIMPROVISEDEXPLOSIVEDEVICES ........... 63
Dealingwiththethreatfromimprovised
explosivedevices............................................ 64
Avoidingorminimizingthedangerofimprovised
explosivedevices............................................ 65
THEGRENADETHREAT ............................................. 66
Avoidinggrenades .......................................... 67
THETHREATFROMBOOBYTRAPS................................. 68
Avoidingboobytraps....................................... 68
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THETHREATFROMUNEXPLODEDMILITARYORDNANCE(UXO) . 68
Unexplodedclusterbombs................................ 70
Avoidingunexplodedmilitaryordnance ................. 70
THETHREATFROMDEPLETEDURANIUMMUNITIONS ............ 71
Avoidingdepleteduraniummunitions ................... 71
THETHREATFROMTHEAIR......................................... 72
Dealingwiththethreatfromtheair...................... 72
Chapter5: THETHREATFROMCHEMICAL,
BIOLOGICAL,RADIOLOGICAL
ANDNUCLEARHAZARDS.............................. 77
ABITOFPERSPECTIVE ............................................. 77
TYPESOFCBRNTHREAT ........................................... 77
Chemicalwarfareagents .................................. 77
Toxicindustrialchemicals.................................. 78
Biologicalwarfareagents.................................. 78
Radiologicalandnuclearincidents ....................... 78
PROTECTINGAGAINSTTHECBRNTHREAT........................ 79
Assessingthethreat........................................ 79
Detection ..................................................... 79
Medicalcountermeasures................................. 81
Immediateactiondrills...................................... 81
Communalprotectivemeasures ......................... 82
Personalprotectiveequipment ........................... 83
Decontamination ............................................ 84
Chapter6: ADDITIONALAIDS
TOYOURSAFETYANDSECURITY................. 87
HOWAREWEVIEWEDBYTHEARMEDFORCESANDSECURITY
FORCES,LOCALFACTIONSANDTHELOCALPOPULATION?
HOWDOTHEYBEHAVETOWARDSUS? ........................... 87
Theviewoftheprofessionalsoldier..................... 88
Complicationsfacingthesoldierintheconflictzone. 89
Notableexceptions ......................................... 91
Privatesecuritycompanies................................ 92
Militaryprotection........................................... 93
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Promotingyourorganization .............................. 93
Weaponsinyourvehicle................................... 94
Warningsorobstruction?.................................. 95
Thecivilianoutlook.......................................... 96
CHECK-POINTS/ROAD-BLOCKS ................................... 97
PLANNING,BRIEFINGANDDEBRIEFING......................... 100
Howtoplan................................................. 102
Briefing ...................................................... 103
Debriefing................................................... 103
SECURITY-INCIDENTREPORTSANDSTATISTICS ............... 105
Problemsdemandingattention ......................... 105
INCIDENTREPORTING ............................................ 107
Theimmediatereport..................................... 107
Follow-upreports........................................... 107
Chapter7: PASSIVE-PROTECTIONIDEAS
FORYOURSAFETYANDSECURITY ............ 109
PROTECTINGYOURSELFANDYOURBUILDINGS............... 109
Materialsandtools........................................ 110
Basicsandbagconstruction............................. 112
BLASTWALLS,SHELTERSANDOTHERIDEAS .................. 114
Blastwalls .................................................. 115
Shelters ..................................................... 116
Otherideasforpassiveprotection..................... 118
BUILDINGSELECTION ............................................ 121
PERSONALPASSIVE-PROTECTIONEQUIPMENT................. 122
Theflakjacket.............................................. 123
Theballisticjacket......................................... 124
Thehelmet.................................................. 125
Armouredvehicles ........................................ 125
Otherformsofvehicleprotection...................... 126
VEHICLESANDDRIVING.......................................... 127
Four-wheeldrive........................................... 128
Driving ....................................................... 130
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PERSONALEFFECTS.............................................. 131
Awordoncameras ....................................... 133
Chapter8: MANAGEMENTASPECTS
OFSAFETYANDSECURITY ......................... 135
THEROLEOFHEADOFOFFICE/DELEGATION ................... 135
Basicconsiderations...................................... 135
Stressmanagement ........................................ 137
CONTINGENCY/EVACUATIONPLANS ............................. 138
Planningforaprolongedstay ............................. 140
Planningforevacuation..................................... 141
Partialevacuation............................................ 142
Fullevacuation ............................................... 143
FIREPRECAUTIONS................................................. 143
Chapter9: SPECIALSITUATIONS ................................... 147
ASTATEOFSIEGE .................................................. 147
Enduringastateofsiege................................... 148
HOSTAGESURVIVAL ............................................... 149
Abduction ..................................................... 150
Post-capture.................................................. 150
Health.......................................................... 151
Therelationshipwithcaptors.............................. 151
Negotiation ................................................... 152
Release........................................................ 152
Hostagesurvivalcheck-list................................ 152
Chapter10: FIRSTAID....................................................... 155
THREATS............................................................. 155
INJURYPATTERNS .................................................. 156
SYSTEMATICAPPROACH........................................... 156
TREATMENT ......................................................... 157
Airway,breathingandcirculation......................... 157
Brokenbonesandburns................................... 158
Cardio-pulmonaryresuscitation .......................... 159
EQUIPMENT ......................................................... 159
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