What to do & How to do …..?

21 September 2016

When I am on ships …. it’s  alife of constantly being in the state of full operational readiness and operating and emergency preparedness – whether awake or in sleep literally …. having people around who are all professionally trained in skills and disciplines …. a life of such professionally competent readiness day and night for 39.5 years of witnessing operating ships as well maintaining ship security; surviving storms and winters ….  and then when I come home, I am in the house of a Mariner’s wife who has run it with the same – rather even better professionalism of ‘operating skills and readiness for almost all kinds of emergencies..’ knowing very well that they come without ringing any bells …. be it flooding-rains or earthquakes or someone’s terminal health in the neighbourhood or any other house hold situation or even a pet in distress … she is prepared …almost as a a pro ….. and then there is the human civil society at large in this city at least …. so different ! … so different in lives of earning-sake skills and longings for consumptions !! almost with full dependecies on the emergency response services provided by the local bodies and states for their safety and security …. On one hand there are examples like ‘Sully’ so well portrayed by Tom Hanks in the movie  - who handles his powerless plane as well as the civilian passengers extra-ordinarily without a loss by water-landing on the Hudson, then also faces the skeptic NTSB investigators …. but with one awesome clarity and ability …. that of knowing ‘..what to do and how to do ..?’ …. that awareness and ability both leading to a cruicial Decision Making in a mere 203 seconds !!

…. and today in Mumbai when the first news came … that of the terrorsists on the loose reported by school kids to their teachers and then to the authorities … everyone had the news coming either by their social media, or by the noise of the howering helicopters or by watching the TVs or upon seeing the road blocks …. clearly confused individuals everywhere …. night falls without tracing the fugitives …. People seem to retire in a relieved mood though the authorities keep reminding that ‘the fugitive terrorists are still on the loose’ and that the highest alert still remains in force…

What did most people do? Did they grasp the implications ..? Did they remember how it looked on the TV when the Belgian forces were combing districts of Brussles to nab the fugitives? …? As against here in Mumbai …?? What was it that the public at large could have done..? how was the Boston bombers’ chase end .. do you remember? How were few more chases otherwise … all telecast … what was done then ..was any thought given how to act if that happens in Mumbai..?

Had the people practiced to grasp what the situations meant..? while the people remain busy listening and forwading and sharing heated debates about how the state should react to the latest act of terror … while here they are right in the face of the fugitives … a clear dangerous situation when the fugitives seen and may be more could surface anytime anywhere and this changed situation needing well practiced minds that can understand …

….. what it meant & what to expect …

how to help the authorities in their search ..

What has changed in the circumstances ..?

what it means for household level security..?

what does it mean about children going to schools & colleges…?

What emergencies to expect … how best to react if there is sighting..? own security and that of those around …

& above all how to do..?

NOPE !! the people are NOT THAT READY as seen today !!

No wonder ….just 2-3 days ago in broad day lightin Delhi a stalker aquaintance of a straight forward girl knocks her down and stabs over and over again till she dies while crying out for help ….. neither she knows what to do and how to do in case of such an assault on the busy road (in spite of several months of earlier troubles and complaints … the passer by public don’t know what & how either …… or is it that they Don’t Want to Know and Don’t Want to do anything but only sit and expect all to happen on a readymade platter by authorities while they remain busy giving endless opinions on the social media and in chats about what others should do …. only to the advantage of the unlawful perpetrators !! that in turn  bringing the biggest weakness which can not be made up by loud slogans or good intensions but only by constantly knowing - individually as well as groups - What to do and How to do in any anticipated or unforeseen situations … so that the terrorists, who seek to build on the weaknesses of the society & the state, run out of options and back off …

Can We ..? Can We as the law abiding straight forward civilian lot despite of being from any state keep this as an expectation thereby subtly counter the terrorism; imbibe this part as a responsibility to know and constantly update the knowledge in theory and practice of ..What to do ? and How to do? In situations created by the terrorists and never get caught as the unprepared ….

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