What would you do if you were caught up in a terrorist attack? For any lesser mortals than 24's Jack Bauer - or Glaswegian baggage handler turned have-a-go hero John Smeaton - it is not an easy question. Now, however, you can learn how to survive should the unthinkable happen.

Simon Leila is the director of training and risk consultancy firm 360 Defence Limited (360defence.co.uk) and has more than 10 years' experience teaching government, police and business professionals how to combat terrorism. He is also an expert in krav maga, a self defence art used by the Israeli army, which involves training people to kick or punch instinctively when placed under threat.

His day-long terrorism survival and awareness courses, coming to venues across the country and costing from around £150 per person, are not for the faint-hearted. Leila and his team act out realistic scenarios including grenade attacks and 9/11-style hijackings, with delegates playing victims. (The grenades are of the "flash bang" variety used in SAS training. The shrapnel stings but causes no harm providing you are wearing eye protection.) You can choose to be mock-hijacked on a plane, although it will stay on the ground, and for reasons of economy you are more likely to be in a room with chairs set out in cabin formation. Role-playing is interspersed with practical lessons, demonstrations and talks on what to do, including tricks for disarming attackers. Playing dead and moving while "dead" are other key skills taught, and are more likely to save you than trying to flee.

If it all sounds a bit violent, take heart. The strongest emphasis is on how to steer clear of trouble altogether. Spotting terrorists is apparently easy when they are about to attack because they try too hard to blend in. If something doesn't look right, the safest course is to alert the authorities. And the most important lesson of all? "The three As - awareness, anticipation and avoidance," says Leila.