Recently, while driving, I heard a public service announcement that reminded me of my days in grammar school. I attended grammar school in the 60's, quite a long time ago! The announcement I heard the other day was produced by the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security. It was information advising you what to do if an active shooter enters a place you are inhabiting: work, a movie, a mall, the street,a train, a plane, etc. I thought: is this what our world has come to? Apparently so.
All of us should be prepared for this event, just as I had to prepare for a nuclear bomb attack so many years ago.
Do any of you remember Bert the Turtle? And the "Duck and Cover" exercise we did once a month to prepare for a nuclear bomb blast from the Soviet Union? It was kind of like a fire drill, but different! We had to hide in a fetal position under our desks and cover our heads with our hands. You had to stay away from windows to prevent being hit with broken glass and getting a sunburn that wouldn't ever go away. Was a wooden and metal desk really going to protect us from a bomb? The boys liked this drill because back then little girls wore skirts and the boys got to look up their skirts. That is one thing that hasn't changed! Boys will always be visual!
But, I digress. Back to Bert the Turtle. He was in a video that showed him hiding his head in his shell as a monkey tossed a lit firecracker at him. It didn't seem all that scary to us little kids! It was a just a cute cartoon. Reflecting back on this Duck and Cover nonsense as an adult, I realize nothing would have saved us from an actual nuclear bomb attack, unless of course you had a bomb shelter, which many of my friends did, in fact, have.
On YouTube: Duck And Cover (1951) Bert The Turtle
So, now getting back to this recent public service announcement on the radio. It advises us to Run and leave our belongings behind. Running should always be your first course of action Have an escape route in mind. Many times there are additional exits at the back of stores for employees. Or, if unable to escape, you must try and Hide from the shooters view. Barricade and lock a door, turn lights and cell phone off. Call 911 only when it is safe to do so. And finally, if you cannot Run or Hide; a last resort if your life is in imminent danger is to Fight. Attempt to incapacitate you attacker. Take him down. Use improvised weapons: chairs, fire extinguishers, pens, belts, etc.
I have to admit, when I heard this announcement, I was a lot more scared than when I was hiding under a desk as a child. This is our current reality. These incidents are all too common and we see many fatalities. The Washington Post reports that the U.S. now has one active shooter incident every three weeks. What can we do? Be aware of your surroundings, always know where exits are, and note anything that seems out of the ordinary. If you hear gunshots, do not freeze with fear. You only have seconds to figure out what to do.
While shootings are increasing, they are still rare and we cannot live our lives in fear. But, there is no downside to have a plan, stay alert, and be prepared.
https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/active shooter pocket card 508.pdf
