Other survivors spoke of how they barricaded themselves in an office. A total of 482,959 crimes were committed in the year to September, marking a 6 per cent rise in offences. Credit:Tanya Lake If you were caught up in a similar attack should terrorists strike in Australia, what is your best, and safest, course of action? Police have released the most up-to-date guidelines for how to respond in what is known as an "active shooter" scenario. "Whilst there are no known or specific threats to any Victorians following the terrorist attacks in Paris, it is important the community remains vigilant," a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.

"If you find yourself in the midst of a terrorism-related incident you will need to determine the most reasonable way to protect your life." The guidelines say that if you are sure you are safe, you should provide as much information to police as possible, but only attempt to disarm [the terrorist] if your life is at risk. "If you are able to speak, alert police to the location of the offenders, the number of offenders, their physical description and the types of weapons they have access to. "Taking action against the attacker should only be attempted if your life is in imminent danger. "Once the threat has passed and police arrive, remain as calm as possible and follow the advice of law enforcement agencies."

The guidelines released by Victoria Police are as follows: Active shooter guidelines for places of mass gathering (Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee, 2015) Escape If under immediate gunfire:

Take cover initially, but try to leave as soon as possible if safe to do so. Try to first confirm that your escape route is safe.

Leave most of your belongings except for mobile phone behind.

Do not congregate in open areas or wait at evacuation points.

Provide guidance to people that might be unfamiliar with the area. If gunfire is nearby: Leave the area immediately and move quickly away from the area the gunfire is coming from, if safe to do so. In both situations try to maintain cover and concealment (see below): Cover from gunfire: Brickwork or concrete walls.

Vehicles (engine block area).

Large trees and fixed objects.

Earth banks/mounds/hills.

Concealment from view: Building walls and partitions.

Vehicles.

Fences and other large structures.

Blinds/curtains. Hide If you don't believe you can safely evacuate then consider hiding. Avoid congregating in open areas, such as corridors and foyers.

Consider locking/barricading yourself and others in a room or secure area.

Secure your immediate environment and other vulnerable areas.

Move away from the door, remain quiet, and stay there until told otherwise by authorities, or you need to move for safety reasons.

Silence mobile phones and other devices that may identify your presence.

Try to contact police or others to advise of your location/situation.

Choose a location which may enable access to a more secure area.

Act Constantly re-assess the situation and your options based on the best available information. These situations are very dynamic and often involve a moving threat. Consider whether a safe escape route might now be possible if the circumstances have changed.

Assess better options for sheltering in place either within your current location or at an alternative location.

Consider (only as a last resort) options for arming yourself with improvised weapons to defend yourself in the event that you are located by the offender. See/Tell The more information you can pass on to the police or venue management the better, but never risk your own safety or the safety of others to gain it.

If it is safe to do so, think about obtaining the following information: Exact location of the incident.

Description of the offender and whether moving in any particular direction.

Details of any firearms being used.

Number of people in the area and whether any have been injured.

The motive or intent of the offender (if known or apparent). Police response A priority will be finding the offender, which could mean moving past people who need help.

At first police may not be able to distinguish you from the gunman.

Police officers will be armed and could point guns in your direction.

Avoid quick movements or shouting and keep your hands in view.

They may initially move past you in search of the gunman.

Be aware that police may enter your location at some stage to secure the building and locate people that have hidden from the threat.

Promptly follow any instructions given by emergency responders.