Surviving a terrorist attack

Friday, March 28, 2003 | 11:15 a.m.

Experts have warned for months that the closer the U.S. military gets to the occupation of Baghdad, the greater the likelihood of another terrorist attack.

Las Vegas is not on the "A" list of target cities alongside New York and Washington, D.C., but as America's hedonistic playground, it is in the second group, authorities have said.

The city was a meeting place of some of the 9-11 hijackers, and one terrorist was found to have video images of the MGM Grand.

It all adds up to the conclusion that Las Vegas can't afford to let its guard down.

Because there are more scenarios than anyone can envision, and because there are so many different factors that could affect each scenario, there is no way to tell the public exactly what to do in every imaginable attack. But there is some basic information that everyone should know, information that could save lives and reduce anxiety in the event of a terrorist attack or any other disaster.

The recurring theme in the advice culled from authorities is: Educate yourself and plan in advance.

To that end, the Sun interviewed the local experts and boiled down the best recommendations from a variety of sources. To learn about what you can do to try to ensure that you and your loved ones stay safe, see pages 14A and 15A.