I’m sure most of you have heard about active shooter attacks. Though these attacks are not new, they are heartbreaking when they happen. So I want you to at least have a chance of survival. Remember: RUN, HIDE, & FIGHT.
The United States Federal Bureau of Investigations has designed an Active Shooter training video, RUN, HIDE, & FIGHT, which can give a better chance of coming out of an Active Shooter situation. Below are the tips from their Active shooter training.
Photo from Pixabay
Run
Anytime you enter a place, always notice where the windows and the exits are located. So if you need to leave, you’ll know where they are.
When the shooting starts, run to the exit which is away from the shooter. Just get to running! Running increases your chances of surviving. There’s an old saying, “it’s hard to hit a moving target”.
The video advises that when you leave the building, have your hands up and visible. This way, if the police are coming in, they will see that you are not a threat.
If the police aren’t there when you come out, keep running until you get to a place where you feel safe. It could be a business down the road, or the middle of the street. Any place you feel that the shooter can’t get to you.
Hide
If you can’t get to an exit, find a hiding place. Where ever it is, get there quickly and make sure you are out of sight. Be quiet! Don’t leave until help arrives and they come to you.
If you find a room, get inside quickly and lock the door. Then put everything you can find up against the door. Chairs, desks, whatever. The whole point is to make it so the shooter can’t get into the room.
Now be quiet! Remember to silence all cell phones too! Also, while waiting, come up with a plan of what to do if the shooter gets in.
Photo from Pixabay
Fight
If you can’t get out through the exits or to a hiding place, the only other option is to fight. This should always be your last resort.
Use whatever you can as a weapon. Anything sturdy will do the trick.
Also, work together with others to fight the shooter. To paraphrase a tip from the video, a well-thought-out surprise ambush can subdue a shooter.
Remember, you’re fighting for your life. So DON’T FIGHT FAIR! He or she didn’t when they came in there and started shooting up the place!
Though an Active Shooter situation is scary, there are ways to survive. The key is to remember Run, Hide, Fight.
Be aware of your surroundings, and all exits and windows. This way, if something starts, you’ll know which exit to use to get away from the shooter.
Remember, as you’re running, have your hands up to signal to the police you are not a threat. If they aren’t there when you get out of the building, keep running until you get to a place where you feel safe.
Now, if you can’t get to the exits, find a place to hide. If it’s a room, lock the door and then block it using anything you can find.
Put your cell phones on silent and be quiet. While you’re huddled there, it would be a good idea to come up with a plan of what to do if the shooter gets through the barricade.
If you weren’t able to get out or find a place to hide, the only option left is to fight. Use whatever you can find as a weapon.
If there are others close by, you all can come up with a plan to deal with the shooter. Whatever you all choose, add in the element of surprise too. Remember you’re fighting for your life, so don’t fight fair.
Keeping all these things in mind will help if you ever find yourself in a shooter situation. Here is the link to the FBI training video. Please watch it! If you want more info about active shooter safety, check out these additional safety resources from the FBI.
