The National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) has launched ACT in a BOX: an interactive product that enables businesses to rehearse and explore their response to terrorist incidents.

Rehearsing your incident response

Regularly exercising your response to a terrorist incident is an important tool for increasing preparedness. Terrorist attacks are most often no-notice events with potentially devastating consequences, and it is therefore vital that your staff know what to do and how to do it.

There are many types of exercise, from discussion-based walkthroughs to complex live events. A good quality exercise can help you to:

• Identify gaps in awareness or knowledge
• Familiarise or train staff in appropriate response actions  
• Encourage staff to apply generic guidance to their own work environment
• Clarify roles and responsibilities
• Positively engage all staff and create a good security culture.

Tests and exercises can also be used as part of a process to validate and refine your security plans and onsite equipment.

ACT in a BOX

ACT in a BOX is a new digital experience joining the ACT Suite of products. It allows businesses to rehearse their response to a fictional Marauding Attacker or Improved Explosive Device (IED) in a safe-to-fail environment.

Based on real incidents, the fully interactive scenarios allow users to make decisions, influence the content and record key learning or considerations for their workplace.

Through suitable decision making, all staff can make a difference and minimise harm to their colleagues, visitors and the public. ACT in a BOX brings your staff together as a group to share experiences, discuss potential response actions and increase their confidence to ACT.  

Use ACT in a BOX as part of a wider testing and exercising programme or as an engaging group activity. Businesses with less experience running exercises or group activities can refer to the accompanying facilitator guides for support.

ACT in a BOX is now available on ProtectUK under the Learning tab.

For more information about security exercises, consult the Managing Risk and Business Continuity page or the Marauding Terrorist Attack Guidance: Testing and Exercising.