Zero Risk

Keeping others safe in a dangerous world
By Tony Loughran
Published by Bonnier Echo
RRP $34.99 in paperback | ISBN 9781760687601

Praise has come for Tony Loughran from many quarters, including from BBC World Affairs Editor John Simpson who says simply: ‘I owe my life to him.’

So who is Tony Loughran?

Born in 1962, he endured a tough working-class childhood in Liverpool, before joining the Royal Navy where he excelled. This morphed into his next career as an elite commando medic, a demanding role that required doctor-level training. He dealt with serious physical injury but it was a stint in Belfast that left him with psychological scars.

His life changed again when, in 1991, he took responsibility for safety and security at the BBC. In his years with the world-famous broadcaster, Mr D and D, (Death and Destruction), as he became known, revolutionised the protective gear and strategies used by foreign correspondents and introduced ground-breaking training that has saved many lives.

Fast forward twelve years and a new life beckoned in Australia where he established his own security consultancy company, ZeroRisk International.

Across the years, Loughran’s work has taken him to places most of us would do anything to avoid. Mostly, he has avoided trouble but he recounts how, despite all the precautions, he came extremely close to being captured in Kabul.

From advising media during the Lindt Café siege and to getting people out of Afghanistan when the Taliban returned, there is no doubt Loughran’s life has been an adrenalin charged rollercoaster ride.

Verdict: This is an enlightening book, giving us a behind-the-scenes look at how security planning can minimise the risk for journalists reporting from war zones. It’s about pre-planning, understanding the risks, preparation and developing a network of contacts who can be relied on in the world’s trouble spots.

This is also an honest book. High risk, high adrenalin work does come with its inevitable downside. As satisfying and fulfilling as it may be as a career, it puts unavoidable stress on personal relationships that sometimes crack under the strain. Loughran does not shy away from setting out the personal challenges that have accompanied his undoubted successes.

LISTEN

https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/correspondentsreport/death-investigations/1099634