Get Prepared with Online Active Shooter Training

Sadly, everyone in society needs to be diligent and aware of their surroundings. Safety can be compromised in an instant due to the number of active shooting incidents around the country. They have taken place in schools, churches, malls, grocery stores, movie theaters, and more. It isn’t possible to stay at home all the time so being prepared is important.

Don’t Hesitate to Report a Gunman

Too often, people don’t report what they see or hear. They don’t want to be wrong or they don’t want to get involved. Reporting what you know as soon as possible is very important. It can play a vital role in preventing the shooting or reducing the number of people affected by those actions. The sooner the shooter can be taken into custody by law enforcement, the better.

Precious time can be wasted while law enforcement tries to get a grasp on the gravity of the situation. If you get out of the location where there is an active gunman, share as many details as you can. If there is more than one shooter, are people injured or dead? Do you know the location where you last saw the gunman or where the bullets came from? These details can help them take control of the scene in the least amount of time.

Make sure law enforcement is able to identify you aren’t part of the shooting issue when they arrive. The process can be confusing and there can be more than one shooter. Go outside with your hands up so they can see both of them. They need to know you don’t have anything in your hands that could be a gun and that you aren’t a threat.

When you come out, law enforcement will approach you. They will take you to a safe area where they will get a statement of what you saw. If you need medical assistance, they will also get that for you. Do all you can to assist them with getting the situation inside under control. Taking an online active shooter training can help to better prepare you for what to do in the case of an incident.

Run

Chaos can ensue when there is an active shooter situation. People are in a panic when they discover what is taking place. Running is a good idea because a moving target is harder to get than one that is still.

Don’t run in a straight line. Instead, try to zig zag back and forth from side to side. The shooter will have a harder time taking aim and successfully being able to shoot you when you do this. If possible, grab something you can use to shield your head from gunfire as you move.

Hide if Necessary

Hiding is only recommended if you can’t find an exit and you have nowhere to run. In this type of scenario, you don’t want to be out in the open.If they are on a quest to harm people, they may methodically go through areas and shoot anyone they find. Using an online active shooter training to get prepared can greatly help you and your family to better understand which quick actions to take.

If you do have to hide, go into an area where you can lock the door behind you. Look for something you can use as a weapon too should the shooter come into that room. You may not have a lock option or they may break it to get inside. Try to hide in harder to identify places rather than the common and obvious ones.

When you go into a room, do your best to barricade it so that a shooter can’t get inside. Your best chance of survival is going to be to prevent them from getting into that area with you in the first place. If the location has windows, break them to get safely outside rather than remaining in there.

Identify Exits

Getting out of harms way safely is very important. Try to identify an exit you can safely get to. That may be in front of you, to the left or right, or it may be behind you. It is best to try to get out of the proximity of the gun fire when possible.

When you enter a facility, be aware of the exits around you. Do so even if you don’t have any reason to suspect anything out of the ordinary is going to happen. In the event of a shooting, a fire, or other emergency, being able to quickly know where your closest exit is can make a difference in the outcome for you. Participating in online active shooter training can help to prepare your child to feel comfortable on how to locate exits swiftly.

Avoid using elevators in the event of a shooting. You are better off using the stairs to get out of the building. If you are on lower floors, there may be exits in back rooms and you can even go out a window. For higher floors, you may have access to an escape route via a fire escape.

Help Others

Do all you can to help protect others from an active shooter situation. This includes the elderly and children. They may not be able to attempt to get to a safe location on their own. If you see someone that is injured, do what you can to try to help them. If they are bleeding apply pressure to the wounds.

It can be upsetting when you have locked doors and then others want to come in. Unfortunately, you can give them access if it will put you or others in that same safety zone at risk. It can be hard to accept you didn’t help them, but if the gunman is active in that area you could be giving them opportunities. When a large class or group takes prepared courses like online active shooter training it can make the world of difference when it comes to the level of confidence that will be displayed in a stressful situation.

Keep your Cell Phone on You

Getting help to the location as soon as possible is essential. Keep your cell phone on you rather than in your purse or other area. In the event of a gunman situation, you may be able to call or text for help. Doing so can get law enforcement in route very fast. This is important to reduce the opportunity the gunman has to harm others.

Fight Back

While it can be risky to fight back when there is a gunman situation, it may be the only way to even the playing field. Many citizens now have a concealed carry permit that allows them to legally have a gun with them in various public locations. They have been known to fire back at gunman’s, causing injuries..

Taking action as a group may be necessary to take down a gunman by force. Sometimes, objects in the vicinity can be used as a weapon. There are controversial thoughts about fighting back. Some feel it is the best way to reduce the chances of the gunman’s doing more harm to others. There are also those that feel this is too risky and can result in being killed when you could escape unharmed.

Anyone that has been hurt or killed while trying to take down an active shooter is a hero without any question. There are those who have put their own lives on the line in order to protect their loved ones and complete strangers.