Although it is unlikely for active violence or a mass shooting to happen at your workplace, church, community, or go-to restaurant, we should always be prepared and ready to face this possible reality. It is the duty of law enforcement to protect people, but in unexpected situations, you, your employees, faculty, students, or church members are your first line of defense. Let’s talk about why it’s important to be prepared, and some easy steps you can take to stay safe in the case of a violent emergency or mass shooting.
Why is it important to be ready for a violent emergency?
Emergency Responders don’t arrive instantly
It is not that the police and paramedics are slow, but unless someone alerts them of your situation, they are oblivious to your emergency or shooting. Even once alerted, your distance from the dispatch teams and other emergencies will impact arrival times. Before law enforcement arrives, it’s crucial to know how to stay safe.
You need to make split-second decisions
Active shooting incidents and other emergencies can happen very quickly. The unfamiliarity of the situation often makes most people freeze in fear and confusion. What you do within the first few seconds of a threat can make a huge difference. Through professional safety training, you will be able to recognize danger and be confident in the next steps to take.
Because your life matters
Being caught up in active violent situations because of a random stranger acting out, a friend being followed by an abusive partner, or an armed robber, doesn’t need to end in disaster. Your life is yours and you can be prepared and empowered to overcome these situations and make it out safely!
How can you prepare for a mass shooting or violent emergency?
Direct confrontation with the perpetrators isn’t the only, and often is not the best way to protect yourself from active violence or a mass shooter. Your defense can start well in advance of a situation even occurring. There are many things you can do to safeguard yourself and the people you care about from mass shootings or active violence. Here are some of them:
Know your way around. Whether it’s escaping from a shooter, or another aggressor, it is essential to know where the exits are. Don’t take those building maps that you see on each floor for granted. Knowing all the routes helps you find your safe way out and anticipate danger’s way in.
Don’t prop back doors open. Many dorms, offices, places of worship, banks, and kitchens of restaurants have one-way doors that can only be opened from the inside. Although it is much quicker to get through those exit doors than go around to the entrance, keeping back doors open loosens security. Individuals with malicious intent can enter through a propped door without anyone noticing. So keep them closed!
Utilize your gadget’s emergency features. Phones are designed to make calls even on a locked screen. Set your emergency contacts ready at speed dial.
Report suspicious behavior. When you notice something strange, notify the appropriate personnel. Better yet, report it to the authorities. But how can you distinguish a harmless oddity from a potential threat?
Get trained. The ability to identify danger is part of the preparation and completing safety training against active violence is the perfect start. These courses make you familiar with realistic scenarios so that, in such an event, an effective response becomes a natural reflex.
In A Heartbeat has a new program called S.A.V.E, which is specifically created for surviving active violence and emergencies in day-to-day situations. The training involves realistic crisis scenarios that could arise in an average citizen’s regular day such as going to school, work, or church. Protect your team’s health, lives, purpose, and dreams, please contact us at https://inaheartbeatllc.com/contact/ to sign up for a group SAVE class.