The post commander is responsible for all actions taken during all hostage situations on the installation. The commander should choose as special agent a volunteer who is physically fit, mentally stable, and able to perform in stressful situations. The first priority in any hostage situation is the preservation of life. Although several alternatives, including an assault on the area where the hostages are held, are available for dealing with a hostage situation, actions to contain the situation and set up negotiations have been the most successful, except in cases where prisoners have taken over control of confinement facilities. Since no two hostage situations are identical, no standardized format can be used for negotiations. However, the New York City Police Department has developed guidelines based on their experiences. Among these are that the negotiator should not be portrayed to the captor as an ultimate decisionmaker and that the negotiator should be aware that the captor usually fits the psychological profile of a professional criminal, a psychotic individual, or a terrorist. Nearly all demands from captors are negotiable. However, demands to supply weapons or to receive or exchange additional hostages must not be met. Specific suggestions from the New York City Police Department have been adapted to meet the needs of military installations. Among these are cordoning the area with necessary vehicles and personnel, bringing the spouse and other relatives of the captors to the scene to gain further insight into the captors' behavior and reasoning process, and ensuring that the scene is adequately lighted. Negotiators should make no demands other than to agree to trade the release of the hostages for the captor's safety in surrender. Numerous additional guidelines are provided.