Survive the shooting! That is your goal if the unthinkable breaks out. You must SURVIVE!
These ten tip introduce some of the strategies and tactics taught at Survive A Shooting, and in the Survive a Shooting classes.
Think of these as an introduction, and quick reminders as what you need to do to survive an active shooter or active threat incident.
Survive a Shooting: Ten Tips
- Be aware! We must keep our heads out of our apps and be aware of what is going on around us. Know what is “normal” for the area and situation to recognize behaviors that aren’t normal.
- Move! Get off the X. Movement saves lives! You must do something immediately. You have to do something without hesitation, as freezing and doing nothing makes you an easy target. Prior training will help you react faster. If you drop to the floor, don’t just lay there, move toward cover or safety.
- Escape! Know your exits! Escaping is always the preferred option when possible, and you must know your escape routes which includes all exits.
- Know the difference between cover and concealment! Concealment will prevent someone from seeing you, but won’t stop bullets. Cover will stop bullets. Part of your awareness is identifying objects that can serve as cover.
- Deny the shooter access to you! This includes lock downs, barricading with both commercial devices and make shift barricading materials, and anything else you can do to keep a shooter out of your location.
- Attack Back! If you can’t escape to safety or deny the shooter access by locking and barricading, you must fight. If you are armed, that is to your advantage. If you are not armed, use whatever you have to attack back and stop the shooter. Learn how to defend yourself empty handed and with weapons, including improvised weapons to increase your chances of successfully attacking back.
- Learn trauma care! Know how to stop blood loss on yourself and others. Keep first aid kits with tourniquets handy at your office, in your car, and even on your person.
- Make a Plan! Have a general plan of what you will do, based on these tips, to increase your survivability.
- Develop a Survivor’s and Fighter’s Mindset! There was a Navy SEAL shot 27 times and survived. 11 shots were in his body armor, the others in his body. It was his faith and mindset that helped him fight on and survive.
- Accept responsibility for your own safety and for those you take care of. The police will get there, but you must keep yourself alive until they do, and that might mean stopping the threat yourself. When the police do arrive, understand they are under stress too, and follow all of their instructions.