Up to five Taliban suicide bomb attacks targeted the British Council claiming many lives but the panic room proved to be priceless in saving the traumatised trio.

Steve Brook, Business Development Director of South Yorkshire-based the Panic Room Company, comments, “Whilst undoubtedly an unpleasant experience, being holed up in a confined space for up to a reported eight hours, the panic room emergency procedure spared the charity workers from a far worse fate. They had been trained to go into the panic room in the event of crisis and, securing it from the inside, were then able to raise the alarm via a direct embassy link. Although not the ones used in Kabul, our Panic Rooms are built in a similar fashion with various levels of connectivity and ballistic protection and their popularity is rising; hardly surprising given the column inches we’ve seen on UK riots and global terrorism over recent weeks.”

Official figures from the British Crime Survey released in July show household burglaries rising by 14% to their highest level in seven years. Many individuals from Premiership footballers to London-resident oil magnates are keen to ensure that they, and their families, can feel safe in their own homes with a panic room forming a key part of their security system. With rising terrorism, cross-border migration and disparity between haves and have nots, a panic room makes effective and economical sense for these high net worth individuals and their possessions. Panic rooms are no longer a luxury, but a necessity.

Produced in consultation with senior military experts and police, the Panic Room is a safe, sustainable refuge as a last point of defence and can be specified to withstand mechanical attacks, shotgun fire and more powerful weapon attacks. Each unit can then be connected to complementary devices such as a simple ‘panic button’ to activate the home alarm system, iPad-2 technology using ISDN or 3G to contact external help or a bespoke computer system able to drive smoke screens or security cameras.

Delivered flat-pack, the Panic Room can be installed in half a day with minimal manpower providing flexibility of use and portability between locations and various size options are available. The unit can be disguised to unobtrusively blend in with any environment and, although the time spent within is likely to be minimal, the Panic Room is comfortable and sustainable with external ventilation and air filtration, breathing equipment, lighting, back-up power supplies, fresh water and basic toilets all part of the concept.

The Panic Room Company has a broad client base to include those in the Close Protection Industry, large public event organisers, security officers acting on behalf of superyacht owners and police personnel engaged in witness protection and domestic violence.