Safety Tips – Active Shooter

Unfortunately, active shooter encounters have become our reality. They can and have happened anywhere, schools, offices, bars and even festivals. Just this past week, innocent lives were taken at a California country bar as a result of a shooting. These unfortunate circumstances can happen at any point, anywhere and it is important to be prepared.

Many of these instances have happened to our most vulnerable members of society, children. School shootings have been of the worst shootings as they target such young people. Situations like Columbine, Virginia Tech, and Sandy Hook are only a few of the tragedies that have occurred due to an active shooter. It is sad that these occurrences happen however, they can be worse if individuals are not prepared to protect themselves or others around them. Teachers, parents and even students themselves need to be prepared and ready to react if they are ever in a situation like this.

But schools are not the only places that shootings can occur, it is important to always be prepared no matter where you are. Sadly, these occurrences can happen in your workplace, at dinner with your family, or while shopping at your local mall. It is important to have a plan with your family and educate your children as to what to do and where to go. Having a plan with your co-workers in the workplace is important as well.

We have provided the following safety tips to remember if you are ever in this situation.

When you walk into a place, whether it be a restaurant, movie theatre, or even a school always look for exit signs. Know where the nearest exits are and where you can escape should you ever encounter this situation. If there is an active shooter, try to escape. Go to the nearest exit and try to remove yourself from the situation. If you are unable to escape the situation, look for the best form of protection. Desks or tables are always a good form of protection. Also, counters and large cabinets can be used as well for protection. If you are in a mall, school or office, look for places where you can barricade yourself. Find the nearest restroom and lock yourself in. Once you have reached a safe spot, call 911. If the shooter is nearby try to be as quiet as possible. If you cannot call 911, send someone a text message that can call for you. The goal is to be as discrete as possible and stay out of the shooter’s view.

It is important to know what to do in these situations because you never know if it can happen to you. Make sure you and your loved ones are ready and informed on what to do if they ever encounter an active shooter.

Remember, run first and try to escape. If you don’t have time to run, hide. As a last resort, fight.

For more information please contact our office as we can provide you with more tips as well as training on what to do in the event of an active shooting.

Author: Claudia Barrios

Categorized in: Safety, Tips & Tricks