While it may seem unlikely for active violence to happen in places that you attend frequently such as your workplace, church, community, or go-to restaurant, statistics say otherwise. It is the duty of law enforcement to protect people, but in unexpected situations, you, your employees, faculty and students, or church members are your first line of defense.
Why is an effective response to an active threat important?
Emergency Responders don’t arrive instantly
It is not that the police and paramedics are slow, but unless someone alerts them of your situation, then of course they are oblivious to your emergency. Your distance from the dispatch teams and the time someone called them over are primary factors influencing arrival times. While they are not aware or have not arrived yet, it is important to understand how you should respond.
You need to make split-second decisions
Active shooting incidents and other emergencies can happen very quickly. The unfamiliarity of the situation 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 proper training, you will be able to recognize danger and know 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, shouldn’t change your life. These unfortunate incidents that aren’t part of your plans in life should as much as possible only pass by and leave no trace. Your life is yours and you should be prepared to overcome these situations and make it out safely!
How can you prepare against active threat situations?
Direct confrontation with the perpetrators isn’t the only way to protect yourself from active violence. 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. Here are some of them:
- Know your way around. Whether it’s escaping from a shooter, or another aggressor, it is very advantageous 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. To some students, workers, and other users of the building, 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.
- 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 training against active violence. It makes 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 learn more about our group SAVE classes.