Sydney residents urged to carry survival bags in case of terror attack

Residents of Sydney, Australias largest city, have been advised to carry personal survival bags to help them cope with a future terrorist attack or natural disaster.

Sydney, July 18 : Residents of Sydney, Australia's largest city, have been advised to carry personal "survival bags" to help them cope with a future terrorist attack or natural disaster.

The Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore, urged citizens to keep a "Go Bag" containing essentials such as toilet paper, running shoes, spare keys, a torch, disposable gloves, adhesive tape, a transistor radio and sun cream before they leave home each day.

According to The Telegraph, Moore said it was her duty to warn Sydney's four million residents of the potential dangers that await them.

The city council is distributing 200,000 booklets advising Sydneysiders on how to cope with a terrorist attack, earthquake, flood or other natural disaster. The booklet suggests that people find an "emergency buddy", develop a personal emergency plan and create a contact number on their mobile phones in case they are injured and unable to talk to rescuers.

A council website suggests that in the event of a bombing, earthquake or flood residents should carry their cats in "a cotton pillow case".

The public education campaign, which has been co-funded by the Australian government, has been greeted with skepticism by most Sydneysiders.

Deputy Mayor Chris Harris has described the campaign as "purely sensationalist".

Sydney is already on high alert ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in September.

ANI