Active Shooter Tips:

How to survive an active shooter: Admittedly, talking about an active shooter is uncomfortable. Much to my chagrin, this is a topic that needs to be covered. This is a scary topic and this is one of those moments that we need to go to the scary place. We must have a plan on how to exit an active shooter situation safely. This is why talking about it is important.

The thought of my being in an active shooter situation is chilling. The thought of being in that situation with my children present is a word that I can’t pick out of the English language that explains how that makes my heart feel. However, with the amount of training that I’ve had calms my fears.

However, this is something that we need to put our big girl panties on for and analyze the situation on how we’re going to handle this. The FBI has a great video on how to survive an active shooter in a work environment where firearms are not allowed. You can find that video HERE.

The FBI has a three-pronged approach to an active shooter situation. RUN -> HIDE -> FIGHT.  This concept is acted out in their video, in this order. However, when my husband and I teach classes we teach this as a more fluid concept. If running and hiding isn’t the best option to end the situation quickly, maybe you need to fight first!

Here is the scenario that we use with our clients:

“Imagine that you’re at Wal-Mart at the self-checkout. The next thing you know, a masked individual is shooting his firearm into the ceiling. Now you have three options per the FBI. You can run, hide, or fight. If you run, you will attract the shooter’s attention. As we all know, our eyes are attracted to movement. The shooter will see you first and could harm you. Your next option is to hide. Realistically, where can you hide around a self-checkout or even a regular checkout? You’d be a sitting duck and no one likes that. This is not to your tactical advantage in this situation. Lastly, you could fight. If you’re carrying concealed you could stop the threat before anyone was harmed.”

What of those three options in that scenario sounds like it gives you the greatest probability of survival? Obviously, it’s the option to fight! See you the three options should be seen as more of a fluid concept rather than a step-by-step process?

My husband is career army. The motto for identifying issues, that he was taught, was “see something-say something-do something”. If you see something weird, say something. If you see someone being harmed, do something. It takes action on all of our parts to make our environment safer.

It’s all about your mindset:

I am a huge proponent that your mindset is your greatest asset. Even a larger asset than your firearm. If you see something weird, or your “spidey sense” goes off then you need to move. This natural instinct that you have will be your greatest strength in a critical situation. Read this post on the mama bear instinct that all mamas have and how to nurture and prune this instinct to be your greatest advantage.

I urge you to get training. I urge you to do your research on the OODA Loop and Jeff Cooper’s Color Codes. Just because you get your concealed carry permit does not mean that you have to carry everywhere you go. This simply gives you the tools necessary to attack the situation and do what’s necessary to protect your family.

Cheers,

Nila