In Australia we tend to think of ourselves as being insulated from all of the troubles of the world. We tend to think of Terrorism as something that happens somewhere else, like the USA, Israel, Iraq or Indonesia.
This type of thinking is faulty, people thinking like this are living in the past. We have had terrorist style plots and attacks (see my previous post on home grown terrorism). In Queensland in 2005 there were 93 successful bombings (Source: Australian Federal Police - Bomb Data Centre).
Because of this perception of Australia as free from these troubles, many people are complaicent when it comes to Emergency Response Training, particularly Bomb Threat training. This is a mistake which in the future will be paid for in blood. Sticking your head in the sand will not save you from a bomb blast, only correct training can maximise your chance of survival.
How long is it since your site and staff had Bomb Threat training?
This news story shows that Australia is increasing targeted for it's support of certain social and political causes.
Australian embassy in Croatia evacuated
Wednesday Feb 20 06:36 AEDT
Staff at Australia's embassy in the Croatian capital of Zagreb were evacuated for two hours on Wednesday after an anonymous bomb threat.
Local media reports said police and embassy officials were unsure if the threat was connected to Australia's decision to recognise Kosovo's independence from Serbia.
Police spokeswoman Aleksandra Ljuba said the embassy's third-floor offices in the city's Kapton Centar were evacuated after an anonymous call warning of a bomb was received about 12.30pm local time.
Bomb squad officers with police sniffer dogs trained to track explosives searched the property.
After two hours, police gave the building the all clear and allowed staff to return.
Australian ambassador Tracy Reid told local reporters she was unable to say if the bomb threat was linked to Australia's decision to recognise Kosovo as an independent state.
"We employed standard security precautions - as in all such cases," she said.
"We evacuated employees and informed Croatian and Australian authorities."
Croatia's neighbour Serbia has already expressed its disappointment in Australia's quick support for Kosovo's independence and is expected to soon recall its ambassador in Canberra, Milivoje Glisic.
Canberra was one of the first governments to recognise Kosovo's independence, joining the United States, Britain, France, Germany and other European nations in backing the move.
Belgrade has recalled its US ambassador, a move it flagged would be implemented in "all countries that recognise unilateral independence" of Kosovo.
Mr Glisic expects to be soon recalled from Canberra to Belgrade but does not anticipate a permanent cut in diplomatic relations between Australia and Serbia.
Source: AAP
If you need Bomb Threat training, call DELTRA Australia today on 07 3274 6199.
