OT: Run, hide, fight -- survive

Katherine Schweit, an F.B.I. special agent who retired in 2017 after 20 years, created and ran the agency’s active shooter program after the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012. She just wrote an editorial in The New York Times analyzing the failure of the Uvalde police to the shooter last week.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/30/opinion/uvalde-school-sho…

After Sandy Hook the federal government adopted the run, hide, fight model, which instructs students and teachers to run first if they can, then hide if they must and, finally, fight to survive.

This is practical advice for METARs and their families of all ages. Any of us could be in an active shooter situation at any time.

The first point is to RUN. A survival book I read said that it’s much more difficult for a shooter to hit someone who is running in an erratic, broken line instead of a straight line. Unless you are caught like a fish in a barrel with no way out (windows?) you should run instead of staying in place.

Even before that, if you see a guy with a gun approaching your location (church, synagogue, store, etc.) drop whatever you are doing and LEAVE immediately in the OPPOSITE direction. No, I don’t care if the guy is just an innocent gun nut who likes to carry around an AR-15 for fun. Better safe than sorry.

If you can’t run, hide. Lock and barricade your hiding place, if possible. Some of the shooters have shot through closed doors. Put overturned tables in front of the door to catch the bullets.

Fight if you must. You don’t have to fight right away. Bide your time and attack if you see an opening, like the Texas rabbi who threw a chair at a gunman in a hostage situation at his synagogue.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/rabbi-held-hostage-gunman-leads-pr…

Hopefully, none of us will ever need this information.

But you never know.

Wendy

19 Likes

A little levity about a very serious topic:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9MU2oXzSL4

Jeff

3 Likes

The first point is to RUN. A survival book I read said that it’s much more difficult for a shooter to hit someone who is running in an erratic, broken line instead of a straight line. Unless you are caught like a fish in a barrel with no way out (windows?) you should run instead of staying in place.

I don’t need the FBI to tell me that. I learned it from Peter Falk years ago.

“The In-laws” serpentine.
https://youtu.be/A2_w-QCWpS0

intercst

1 Like

OrmontUS posts,

A little levity about a very serious topic:

Great minds think alike.

intercst

1 Like

"Hopefully, none of us will ever need this information.

But you never know.

Wendy "


So, the board suggestion is to invest in running shoe companies since there is a world-wide
trend in criminal activities and a resurgence of wars?

Howie52
The closing of non-financial boards seems to have generated new perspectives on financial
and economic topics.

3 Likes

I’ve had active shooter training. The instructor suggested that every desk/office have cans of wasp spray. If you have never used it, it shoots a stream of insecticide for 25’ or more. If you are trapped and confronted, it would be easy to shoot the assailant in the eyes causing him extreme discomfort and giving you a chance to get away.

gcr

5 Likes

“The In-laws” serpentine.
https://youtu.be/A2_w-QCWpS0

Really good advice. If Rickon Stark had been taught this he would have survived and the Game of Thrones would have been quite different…

Peter Falk never made a funnier movie than the “In-laws”, and I rate only “Wings of Desire” as its equal as simply brilliant and transporting, albeit deep rather than funny.

Rec for the great reference.

david fb