Anyone who hasn’t been hiding under a rock for the past couple years has seen the frequency of terrorist attacks increase dramatically around the world. We are hearing of a new attack nearly every day! Here in the United States we have been experiencing terrorist attacks as well. One organization, Ready Houston, produced a video which is being promoted by the Department of Homeland Security. The message of this video encourages the viewer to Run, Hide, or (as a last resort) Fight an active killer.
Is this the right message be sending to the American Public? Is it an effective means to survive an attack by and Active Killer or Terrorist?
DENIAL
The vast majority of people don’t believe they will ever have to be confronted by an active killer or terrorist. It is true that most people will never have to face that horror. It’s also unlikely you will be struck by lightning, have your home catch on fire, or get run over by a car. However, these things do happen to people on a regular basis. The difference is that the vast majority of us know that lightning strikes, fires, and car accidents happen and we take reasonable precautions to prevent them. What is the difference between these things and active killer attacks? Why are so many in denial of the need to be prepared for such an event? Violence Researchers, such as William Aprill, have studied criminal behavior for decades. He and others have concluded that because the majority of people are not sociopaths, they are unable to understand the level of depravity it takes to perpetrate such an act. However, when we are educated and accept that this different personality type exists and what they are capable of, we can agree that there is a risk that should be mitigated. Our conclusion is that the only thing denial does is breed an irrational fear and anxiety that will get you killed. Once we choose to accept the reality that an attack is possible, then we can determine our best plan of action.
RUN
I would agree that if there is an opportunity to evacuate, you should leave! The initial moments of an attack are the least organized and the attacker’s plan most easily disrupted. In every case where people went for the doors in the beginning of an attack, they made it out. For people who hesitate or freeze, doing nothing, have gotten seriously injured or killed.
HIDE
Here in the United States and abroad there have been a number of massacres where people attempted to hide from the killers. Sandy Hook, Bataclan Theater, and the Pulse Nightclub attacks are recent evidence that hiding does not work. In Sandy Hook, the teachers and children that hid in the classrooms were killed. In the Bataclan Theater, many men and women were tortured and killed even those who tried to hide. In the Pulse nightclub, the people that tried to hide in the bathrooms were all killed. Unless you have a hardened room, you are only making it easier for the killer or terrorist to kill you.
FIGHT
There are a multitude of examples where fighting back has ended the attack. There are many examples here in the United States: Moore Oklahoma, Pearl Mississippi, the Clackamas Mall in Oregon, Colorado Springs Colorado, Aurora Colorado, Salt Lake City, and most recently at Seattle Pacific University and the Playoffz Night Club in South Carolina. Need more evidence? 12 Times mass shootings were stopped by good guys with guns
When an armed good guy confronts an active killer, it is quite effective. In most cases, the killer has committed suicide, rather than being captured or killed by the good guys. They want to be remembered for the body count (winning), not having been stopped by a good guy with a gun (losing).
Confronting terrorists is a bigger challenge, they are more likely to fight until they are disabled or killed. The best way to stop them is an armed good guy.
PREPARATION
How many children have died from a school fire in the past 50 years? None since 1958! What happened in 1958? The Our Lady of the Angels school fire: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_the_Angels_School_fire . 95 people died including 92 children. The American public was justifiably outraged and it led to all the improvements you see in buildings today. Sprinkler systems, Emergency lighting, Alarm systems wired directly to the fire department, Smoke Detectors, Fire extinguishers are now part of every building. More importantly, school children are put through fire drills to this day to prevent another tragedy such as this. It’s important to note that when these changes to schools were suggested, there was a public outcry against it. Some suggested that if we were to drill the children and teach them about what to do in case of a fire, it would cause terrible nightmares and their psyche would be forever scarred. The actual result was the exact opposite! The children lost their fear and at the same time felt empowered and confident because they know what to do if there is a fire. In the same manner, most school districts in Utah have prepared their children on what to do in case there is an attack in their schools. They lock all doors, both exterior and interior, including the classroom doors and keep them closed except for breaks. They have hardened the buildings with solid doors, Tru Armor film on the windows, provide armed security and/or police on campus, and regularly drill the children on what to do. During drills, the children use foam books to throw at the actor who is pretending to be a bad guy. How do you think the children perceive this? They love it! Who wouldn’t want to throw stuff at an adult and run out of the classroom?\
FIGHT BACK!
Our first choice to escape an active killer or terrorist is to run when the attack first begins. When that is not an option, then it’s time to fight your way out! The more time a terrorist or killer has to implement their plan, the more people end up getting killed. Don’t hesitate! Act! Don’t give them time to react.
How can you fight back? If you’re not armed, any object will do. Fire extinguishers books, mugs, chairs, even computers are things you can throw to distract or disable the killer long enough to get away. If you are in a group, coordinate your attack! Someone yell GO! And everyone tackle the killer with the primary objective of controlling his hands. Are you armed? Shoot quickly and accurately! You should be practicing on small targets on long distances up to 35 meters away. Why? As time has progressed, the killers often wear body armor to protect their torso. The only option is to aim for the head your effort to stop their attack.
RUN, HIDE, FIGHT?
The only time hiding can be effective is when a hardened room is available. Even then, if a killer is armed with an explosive device that may not be enough. Therefore we must conclude that our only two viable options are to run at the first sign of trouble, or we must fight. We must be prepared, mentally and physically, to act when it occurs. We must be able to divide their focus, disrupt their plan, and when necessary disable their body and destroy their will to fight.
Denying this could ever happen to us, by not having a plan, we are only setting ourselves up to be killed. If we are ready, if we prepare, we can deter these attacks. We can give ourselves and our loved ones the chance to survive.
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September 2015
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