While it is quite unlikely that you will have to hide from a killer, it is still important to know what to do if this happens. Whether you are at home or in a public place, knowing how to find a good place to hide can save your life. Advance planning can make your home even safer in case a criminal breaks in.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Effective Hiding
Step 1. Choose a well protected place
To prevent a killer from finding you, you need to block the main entrance to your hideout as well as possible. Theoretically, the door should have a sturdy lock on the inside and open outwards so the killer can't kick it open; you can also block the door with other obstacles, such as heavy furniture.
- If the door opens into the room, it is even more important to protect it with heavy objects, otherwise the attacker could kick it open.
- While it is important to be able to keep him out of the room, it is equally essential to find a way to escape, in case he manages to overcome the obstacle and enter; the ideal would be to find a hiding place that has two exits (like a door and a window).
- If you are outdoors, you don't have the ability to create a barrier, but you should still look for a secluded spot that is easy to escape from if necessary.
Step 2. Stay calm
Once you've found the hiding place, you have to go to great lengths to make sure the criminal can't locate you; this also means staying as calm as possible. If you find yourself with other people, avoid talking to each other; Also be sure to turn off the cell phone ringer.
- The killer could still hear the phone if you leave it in vibration mode!
- Resist the urge to yell at the killer that you called the police.
Step 3. Make the place where you are dark
You have to make it difficult for the killer to see your hiding place: then turn off all lights, close all windows and curtains; do your best to make the room look like an uninhabited place.
- Also turn off any other light sources, such as your computer monitor.
- While calling for help is your priority, pay attention to the light on your cell phone; if the criminal is right on the high side of the door, he could see it.
Step 4. Avoid crowding all together
If you are hiding with other people, distance yourself as much as you can; in this way, the chances for each individual to survive increase, should the killer enter the hiding place.
Make sure no one gets too close to the windows, as these are typically the most vulnerable areas in the room
Step 5. Hide inside, behind or under something
If you want to find the perfect place to hide inside the room you have locked, find a piece of furniture or other similar item that you can use as a hiding place; the less obvious the shelter, the better.
- You can hide behind curtains (if they go all the way to the floor), behind a desk, or behind clothes in a closet.
- You can also hide under the bed, under a pile of laundry clothes or under a blanket.
- Also consider hiding inside the kitchen cabinets, washing machine, or large box.
- If you are outdoors, you can get under a bush, under a car, in a garbage can or on the porch.
Step 6. Stay in a visible place if necessary
If you are unable to escape or find a place to hide, pretending to be dead is still a viable alternative; however, this solution is only effective if the killer has already killed many other people. You simply have to lie down next to other victims and hope that the thug doesn't understand that you are still alive.
It can be helpful to lie face down or in a dark place so that he can't see if you move slightly
Step 7. Call for help
As soon as you feel safe to do so, call 112 and ask for help; if you have a cell phone with you, call when you are in hiding, as long as there is no risk that the killer can locate you while you are calling. Stay on the line with the telephone operator until the police arrive.
- The operator will want to know as much detail as possible about the situation, such as the exact location, the number of victims and the type of weapon the killer possesses.
- When the cops arrive, follow their instructions and keep your hands visible all the time so they know you're not a danger.
- If calling the police is risky because you could get caught, text someone who isn't in the same situation as you and ask them to call for help for you. Consider sending the message to multiple people in case someone can't read it right away.
- 112 is the Single European Emergency telephone number (NUE).
Part 2 of 3: Using Other Survival Techniques
Step 1. Run if you can
If you can get out of the building or area where the criminal is present, this is always the best solution than hiding; evaluate where you are and decide if you can escape safely.
- If other people don't want to run with you, leave them behind; you cannot allow them to stop you from escaping.
- If you decide to run, don't worry about your personal items, abandon them.
- Make sure you keep your hands in sight when you step away from danger; if the police have already arrived, they may mistake you for the killer.
- Run in an irregular pattern, so that if the killer was chasing you, he would have a harder time shooting you.
- Try to put as many obstacles as possible between you and the thug.
Step 2. Head to a safe place
If you choose to escape, it is important to find a place that is safer than the one you are leaving, in case the killer wants to chase you. While you just want to escape danger, don't leave the area without having an idea of where to go.
- If possible, choose a place where you can call for help. The best option is a safe environment such as a police station, but even a few neighbors' home is better than nothing.
- However, do not run to some neighbor's house if the criminal is watching you, otherwise you could endanger other people and induce the criminal to enter the house.
- If there are no buildings nearby, choose to enter a wood instead of staying in an open space, so that you have more opportunities to hide; even a parking lot full of cars can be a good choice.
Step 3. Prepare for the possibility of a fight if necessary
In some cases, you may have no other choice. This is usually not a good idea, unless your life is in immediate danger, but if you find yourself in this situation, you need to do whatever it takes to survive.
- If you decide to fight, you have to work hard; if you only make half an attempt, the situation becomes even more dangerous.
- Your goal should be to disarm him and / or render him harmless, after which you should escape as quickly as possible.
- If you have a weapon, you can use it to defend yourself; if not, you can use some deterrent to make the offender harmless, such as a spray product or some other irritant.
- If you have no other options, but you have to fight the thug with your bare hands, hit the most vulnerable parts of the body: the throat, eyes, groin and stomach.
Step 4. Use an improvised weapon
If you decide to fight and you don't have a traditional weapon at your disposal, look around for common objects that you can use to disarm the killer or stop him from harming you. For it to be a good tool, it must be easy to handle and reasonably capable of inflicting damage.
- You can take a backpack to use as a shield or to hit the criminal.
- An object such as a baseball bat, umbrella, or large flashlight is also useful.
- You can use any heavy object to hit the killer and knock him unconscious.
- A chemical fire extinguisher can also be effective in neutralizing a person if you splash the product in their face.
Step 5. Cooperate if you get caught
If the killer finds you and you can't escape or fight (for example, he has a gun and you only have a baseball bat), you need to know how to interact with him to increase your chances of survival. If his primary goal is to steal something or commit another crime, he probably doesn't want to kill you unless he deems it strictly necessary.
- Make sure you collaborate with him as much as possible; do what he asks of you without asking questions.
- Avoid eye contact as she may experience it as a threat.
- Do not make any sudden movements that could be interpreted as an attempt to fight.
- Always look for opportunities to escape or to harm the criminal.
Part 3 of 3: Preventive Measures
Step 1. Make the house safe
Although there are not many things you can do as a private citizen to make public places safer, you can, however, intervene within the home to make the home safer and prevent access to strangers. These measures can also save you from having to hide from a killer inside your home.
- Make sure the doors and window frames are made of sturdy steel.
- If you have glass inserts in or around doors, make sure they can't be broken.
- Keep the windows closed and locked during the night, especially when you are not in the room.
- Make sure the house is well lit at night to discourage criminals from breaking in.
Step 2. Install an alarm system
It can be an excellent solution for safety and reassures the inhabitants of the house; if someone breaks into the house, the alarm is able to automatically call the police and is often able to scare the intruder.
- Some alarm systems are equipped with the "panic mode" function, activated by remote control or mobile application, which you can use to trick the criminal into thinking that the system is off, even if in reality the system is secretly contacting the police.
- Ask the security company how you can warn them in case of danger, in the event that an intruder enters your home. In some circumstances, you can give the operator an emergency word, while in others by simply saying the wrong password, you trigger the intervention response.
- If you wish, you can also install surveillance cameras.
- Regardless of whether you have an alarm system or not, put up signs informing you of its presence; often this simple "trick" is enough to deter criminals as much as a real plant.
Step 3. Prepare a safe room in the house
It's a good idea to locate a specially designated venue and make sure all family members know it is there and where it is, so they can hide in an emergency.
- This room should have a sturdy door and a strong lock inside; you can also install an armored door for additional protection.
- The place must be in a place that is easily accessible for the family and far enough away from the areas from which an intruder could enter; a walk-in closet or bathroom next to the bedroom are great choices.
Step 4. Keep important supplies in the secure room
In addition to defining a specific room in the house that is safe for the whole family, it is a good idea to store all the necessary supplies in it, in case a criminal breaks in.
- Make sure to charge your cell phone every night in this room, so you can always call for help, should you ever enter to hide.
- If you have a gun, you can consider keeping it inside this room; if you don't have a gun in the house, keep some other makeshift weapons.
Warnings
- Don't go out until the police arrive; you may think that the situation is safe again when in reality the danger is still lurking.
- If you have a gun, make sure you know how to use it so it will be useful in an emergency.
- Never try to take matters into your own hands unless absolutely necessary.
- Know that you are much more likely to be killed by someone you know than by a stranger; if you fear that a known person is trying to kill you, hide just like you would any other killer!
- Don't talk while hiding. Text someone who can call for help because making a phone call would be too risky.
- Remember that any weapon you choose could be used against you.
