Surviving a Terror Attack

On the eve of a concert in New York City, Jenny is still seeing live television reports about the aftermath of terrorism in Paris and Mali.

She thinks of the tragic terrorist attack at the Eagles of Death Metal concert that claimed the lives of 130 people.

Her nervousness continues to grow, so she posts a status update on Facebook asking her friends what to do:

“Want to take Mom to Madison Square Garden to see Stevie Wonder tomorrow night, but concerned about safety. Thoughts? Go or No?”

The Sept. 11 terror attacks were only 14 years ago, but New Yorkers are still feeling the aftershock, and now the empathy for the victims and families of the attacks in Paris.

One Broadway theater manager said the theater community was “horrified” and “reminded again how very real this threat is” when the  Nov. 13 Paris attacks occurred.

“Naturally, there is concern on the part of some theatergoers and would-be patrons. Not brand new, but a newly heightened awareness,” Mary Breilid, a theater operations director of a Broadway theater owner, told LifeZette.

The killing of 14 people at a state agency in San Bernardino, Calif., on Wednesday by a Muslim man and his wife proves he was right. No public venue is safe, so maintaining a mindset of precaution may be the only form of defense at this point.

‘Concerned About Safety’

The ISIS terrorist group has evolved in its approach to a new level of unpredictability and emphasis on soft target venues. Now simply eating out, drinking in bars, watching football and listening to music could get you killed. In Paris, the deadliest scene was the Bataclan theater, where terrorists gunned down 89 people in a venue packed with 1,500.

In Paris, the deadliest scene was the Bataclan theater, where terrorists gunned down 89 people.

So is the answer to establish airport-style security for entertainment venues? Crime Prevention Research Center President John Lott calculates that armed guards and added security scrutiny would be an expensive burden on a small theater venue.

“Armed guards are very costly. If you spend enough money, you probably can secure a particular venue, but there are so many possible targets,” Lott told LifeZette.

Concert promoter Live Nation expressed plans for increased security in a statement: “Due to the recent events in Paris and in an abundance of caution, we have implemented heightened security procedures globally.”

Related: Telling the Kids about Paris

“The majority of theatergoers welcome whatever security measures they see. There have always been the occasional dissenters, for whatever reason. They make up a very small part of the theater-going population, however,” Broadway theater manager Mary Breilid told LifeZette.

While sports venues and arenas typically have magnetometers, most theaters will do bag searches with a flashlight but often no frisks or pat downs.

Most theaters will do bag searches with a flashlight but often no frisks or pat downs.

The Broadway theater community works very closely with the New York Police Department and related counterterrorism bodies regularly on security issues, Breilid said.

The terrorist attack at France’s national soccer stadium Stade de France was a good example of the necessity of adding pat-downs to security screenings. One of the terrorists “was discovered wearing an explosive vest when he was frisked at the entrance,” the Wall Street Journal reported.

Former Secret Service Agent Dan Bongino warns that if security agents are going to frisk and pat down attendees, a parameter must be farther out from the event location in case circumstances like Stade de France happen.

Related: Religious Leaders Pray for Paris

“The bottom line is if terrorists spend six months planning their events, it is very difficult to believe that they won’t figure out how to get weapons into a mall or a concert,” the “More Guns, Less Crime” author said.

Bongino suggests that venues proactively plan ahead for possible security problems.

“You should have blueprints for your business in both electronic and hard copy. Columbine changed everything. If something were to happen, cops will respond quickly, but if you don’t have blue prints of your business, the body count could add up by the minute,” the former New York City cop told LifeZette.

He recommends two “invaluable” items for public businesses.

“Wood door chocks are invaluable. They geometrically make doors harder for an attacker to open. Also, every business should get cameras. Cameras are getting cheaper now, and if an incident is happening inside, you can now show what’s happening inside your business on an app to the police,” Bongino said.

‘Buy Time and Space’
Danny Coulson, former deputy assistant director of the FBI, told LifeZette there are ways to survive an active shooter or hostage situation.

• Look for the exit. “What you need to think about as potential victims is a lot of things we can do to make ourselves a lot safer. First of all, when you go into a theater, a shopping mall, even in your church, school or wherever you go, ask yourself ‘how do I get out of here?’ ‘Where do I go? ‘Where is the closest exit?’ “Can I exit this restaurant through the kitchen?’”
• Don’t be in denial. “What also happens is that victims are often in denial. They’ll see something happening and they are mesmerized by it. They stand there and watch it. In the (Aurora) Colorado shooting, the audience thought it was a part of the show when the shooter came in. “
• Look for a place to barricade. “Statistics tell us that if you’re in a barricade situation and in an active shooter is present, in a strong barricade situation you have a 95 percent chance of survival if you can just keep him away from you. If you barricade into a room and that shooter can’t get in, he’s going someplace else. He’s not going to stand there. He’s in a huge hurry.”

‘Direct Hit on Music’
U2 lead singer Bono described the attacks in Paris as terrorism’s “first direct hit on music.” The bands U2, Motorhead, Foo Fighters and Marilyn Manson had to postpone shows in the aftermath of the attacks.

Lines waiting to get intro the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower continue to be dismal.

The local cafes, bars and theaters have been struggling economically to come back, but have also shown perseverance in spirit.

Related: Obama Says Mass Shootings Happen Only in U.S. — While in Paris

“Hearts will be heavy for a few months, a few years. But we will reopen. We will not surrender,” Le Bataclan’s co-manager Dominque Revert told Billboard magazine.

Actor Jared Leto gave a heartfelt tribute Sunday night to the City of Lights during a 2015 American Music Awards as he marveled at having performed at the Bataclan.

“Tonight, we honor the victims of the unimaginable violence that has taken place in this year in Paris and around the world. France matters, Russia matters, Syria matters, Mali matters, the Middle East matters, the United States matters, the entire world matters, and peace is possible,” Leto said.

Rock star Lenny Kravitz joined in on sharing his concern. He wrote in an op-ed for Rolling Stone magazine: “It could happen anywhere.”