Active Shooter - How to Respond (DHS)

[allingeneral]

Interesting that in several places, the information presented indicates that your only chance of survival may be to "incapacitate" or "Take the active shooter down". Seems like that would be much easier to do if I were legally armed. I looked around my office and put myself into an active shooter scenario as I read this booklet. I could barricade myself inside my office, but what if the shooter is able to get in? All I have is a pair of scissors and some dry erase markers. You know what they say about bringing a dry erase marker to a gunfight!

Anyway - here's the website, and the attachment is downloaded from the website. It's worth reading through, I think. As with any gun-related incident - I hope I'm never on the receiving end requiring me to go into defense/self-preservation mode, but I hope that if ever in such a situation, that it's at a time when I am armed and able to defend myself properly.

http://www.dhs.gov/active-shooter-preparedness

[dorminWS]

I wonder why they left out "shoot back". I'm pretty sure I'd insert that in my personal checklist just after "call 911" and in front of "grab your scissors and whimper".

[tommy610]

There is no mention of shooting back because, this was written by the DHS, and they know something you don't know. Soon, you won't have any ammo to make carrying worthwhile.

Kidding aside, this pamphlet made me throw up just a little bit in my mouth. It wreaks of "You are the helpless subject... just try to survive, and soon the government will be there to save you... and when they DO get there... shut up and don't get in their way, because while you've been there the whole time, they just arrived, and know more about the situation than you do, and they'll justifiably blow your head off if you make a false move".

[dorminWS]

Yup. I got that same message pretty loud and clear.

[SHMIV]

If you can't have a real gun at work, I can't fathom that anyone would object to a fire extinguisher. A good blast to the face from the hose, followed by a firm wallop upside the head with the body of the extinguisher...

If one is clever, one can come up with a justifiable reason to keep a flare gun in his desk.

Maybe, you can keep a pail of water in your office; remember the water bucket balanced over the door prank?

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Gotlabs]

Sounds a lot like what I have read in history books......they are only here to help you.....

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[dorminWS]

I've always thought/hoped that if I'd been trapped in one of those classrooms at Tech that perhaps I'd have had the presence of mind and intestinal fortitude to wait behind the wall on the hinge side of the door and slam it shut on the shooter's gun hand as he came through. starting off by breaking the b*stard's wrist seems to me like it might be the safest way to attempt to initiate a defense of one's unarmed self against a so-called "active shooter" IF you are in fact behind a closed door of any substance at all.

[Ralphola]

I think this is a very good video for response in a classroom setting.

[Reverenddel]

In truth? My company has a policy that you can carry "Legal length folding knives"... We all carry 4" sturdy lock blades.

I like the slamming door policy, except one problem, most work environs are open floor style now...

The guys I work with have a plan laid out till the armed security guy gets to the incident... unless he's taken out first.

Personally? I am "Greyman" at work, they know I like guns, but I don't respond aggressively. I let corporate security take reports. Once I have a documented report of you threatening me? (shrugs) And you decide to put your hands on me? Yeah...

[Afrikaner82]

Watch their video on it. We discussed it in my Criminal Justice class. Came to the conclusion that it is good to lead the sheep to slaughter. They say in the video don't box yourself in, then went to show a lady getting under a desk and pulling the chair to conceal her while the shooter walked past. Another one they say go into a room lock the door and close the curtains then lay down. At last they say to use improvised weapons like scissors. I personally though how sad it is to have wasted the time watching the video like that. In most active shooter situations time is of the essence and he has to be stop before the body count raises and only resistance will work. The shooter will either commit suicide or leave.