How to be Prepared

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) 11.4 active shooter incidents occur in the United States each year with that trend growing. The FBI also reports that approximately 70% of all incidents occurred at a business/commercial or educational environment.

The good news is that the odds that you will find yourself in an active shooter incident are minute however should it occur there are several actions that you can take to ensure that you, your colleagues and loved ones survive.

There are different philosophies as to how to respond to the active shooter incident however the City of Houston in conjunction with the US Department of Homeland Security developed the Run. Hide. Fight.® active shooter response strategy. This is a basic easy to remember strategy that this article will focus on presenting.

RUN

The concepts are simple. As soon as you are aware of an active shooter incident in your building or vicinity run and escape if at all possible. If there is a fire alarm along your escape route activate it as this will alert authorities that something is going on at your location if no one has had the opportunity to call 911 yet. Get as far away as possible then once in a safe place call 911 yourself and report what you saw and heard if anything. If you are in the immediate vicinity of the active shooter and have the ability to run do so. To be direct moving targets are difficult to engage. You dramatically improve your chances for survival by running. Make sure when entering your workplace, school or other public place you are aware of your surroundings and you know at least two possible exits.

HIDE

If running from the area is not an option then shelter in place by hiding until the police arrive. Most active shooter incidents are over in under five minutes and are resolved before the police arrive. Once you have been notified that an active shooter incident is under way and you have determined that running is not an option be sure to barricade yourself in a room by blocking the entrance. Turn off all lights and silence all cell phones. Stay quiet and wait for the police to arrive. Active shooters have a tendency to engage soft or easy targets and if you make it difficult for them to find or engage you the odds that you will survive increase dramatically.

FIGHT

As a last resort when running and hiding are not an option you will have to fight. Be resolved to fight aggressively and unrelentingly. As stated above most active shooter incidents last only five minutes so if you have to fight the police may be only seconds away. If in school or the workplace take an inventory of what items that you may use to defend your self. Some additional steps you may take to be ready to face this type of situation are:

1. Carry pepper spray if legal in your jurisdiction. Make sure the spray has enough pressure to create maximum distance between you and the shooter. Pepper spray products such as those manufactured by Sabre give you at least a fifteen foot spray.
2. Keep a whistle on your person to alert police to your location or to disorient the shooter.
3. Keep a bright LED flashlight to disorient the shooter by waiting and shining the light directly into their eyes if you are in a dark room. This may give you the advantage you need to attack the shooter.
4. Identify everyday items such as chairs or fire extinguishers to use as weapons.
5. Consider a back pack or briefcase ballistic panel such as the Angel Armor Ally® to protect your vital organs while running or fighting.

SURVIVE

If you take the time to memorize the above actions the odds that you will survive an active shooter situation will increase dramatically. Most active shooters begin their attack for a very specific reason and if you are not that reason by implementing the Run. Hide. Fight.® principles you can ensure the highest possible likelihood that you will not be a victim. Lastly, keep in mind that the above are offered as suggestions and do not provide any expressed or implied level of success. Since the author is unable to know all of the possible variables that one would face in an active shooter situation no guarantee is given as to the likelihood that one would survive by using the aforementioned techniques.

Eric Jenkusky is the President of T.J. Clark International (www.tjclarkintl.com) and a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi’s Sports Event Security Management Program. Eric has worked providing expertise to such security operations as the UN General Assembly in New York City and the World Cup Soccer Tournament in Brazil. He has guest lectured at the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency. In addition Eric has worked extensively with such organizations as the US Department of Defense, US Department of Homeland Security, NYPD, Policia Nacional de Colombia and the National Guard WMD Civil Support Teams. Eric can be reached at eric.jenkusky@tjclarkintl.com.