How did this happened again? Anger, sadness and a tremendous feeling of disappointment and let down, I never thought I’d be writing an article of this nature. Run, Hide or Fight? Surviving An Active Shooter in the United States of America. What’s happened to us?
Being able to protect yourself in an active shooter situation begins with having a good sense of what’s going on around you. Knowing your environment is one of the most important safety precautions you can take in any situation.
Part of being aware of your environment, means knowing how to get out when things go bad. Upon entering any new area, the first thing you want to do is look for every possible escape route and exit that you can find.
Follow your instincts. If a situation seems odd, if something seems out of place, or your gut tells you something isn’t right, listen to your instincts and don’t wait around to find out what happened.
Your first line of defense – Escape! This is first and foremost on the list of options. In an active shooter situation, the first thing you want to do is try to escape. This isn’t a movie or a video game; when the bullets start flying the last place you want to be is anywhere near the shooter.
Once you hit the exit, keep going. Distance is one of the keys to surviving the situation.
Take cover. Taking cover means moving yourself away from any possible harm. If you can’t safely remove yourself from the situation, the next best option may be to take cover hit the floor and curl into a ball.
When all else fails, Fight! Critics of this option will probably argue that you should never try to attack a shooter. But if you’re in a situation where there’s no place to run, and no place to seek cover, what other option do you have? Most critics fall silent when asked that question.
Once you have exited the building, or removed yourself from the situation, don’t drop your guard. What if the shooter returns? What if there are other shooters waiting outside the exits?
There’s a lot to learn so watch this video: www.activeshooter.lasd.org or contact your local law enforcement.
Stay Strong America and if you see something, say something!
Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna
