Archived Are we ready for an emergency situation?
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Ringwraith917
Professional Badass
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Good hiding spot: Climb up a backroom ladder. Lie down on the top shelf. Pull the ladder release cord so it looks like no one used it.
Tessa120
Current game: Elex
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Another potential hiding spot (assuming similar layout), the big baby hardlines items in boxes (travel systems, bassinets) are on a long island and there's gaps between the front and back boxes in the center. Someone, even plus size, could crawl between them and would never be seen. I was always surprised there weren't people hiding there before close to loot the store after closing, especially since I would sometimes see teens popping out of there while goofing around. It'll make it harder to get out but it should be hidden enough if getting to an exit is not an option.
gsa4lyfe
Always here
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As a leader you’re responsible to read up on the emergency response procedures, your SD/target just needs to supply them. Run hide fight is a pretty standard procedure for active shooter for many business, even the college I went to had this posted in most public buildings. Code yellow after 20 minutes you should be calling the police and reporting a missing child. Code red you evacuate? Run hide fight is vague for a reason, you can’t really predict an emergency. The flipchat is your friend and you’re responsible to be able to speak to it. Also you should know where your sprinkler shut off and water main shut off valves for your store are as a couple targets in the past (one last month) flooded because the lead in the building didn’t know.
gsa4lyfe
Always here
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I’d just hide above the walk in cooler
NKG
Nkg
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I've stated I know my training is up to me but I don't have time if a kid is lost to flip to page 8 to find out what to do
With the missing kid, wouldn't you call the police if the child is still missing after 20 minutes?
I don't think people in the backroom need to worry about mass shootings, unless it is a backroom TM who loses their shit. Most shooters walk in the front door.
I don't think people in the backroom need to worry about mass shootings, unless it is a backroom TM who loses their shit. Most shooters walk in the front door.
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NKG
Nkg
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I've read it and don't obtain information well
rog the dog
Small Format TL
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- Aug 9, 2017
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- 344
I can't wait to incapacitate an attacker by yelling at them
Where is this found?
REDcardJJ
Team Leader
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- Sep 18, 2017
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its in the emergency flipchart, which should be located in the following places:
guest services desk
tsc
backroom
ap office
hr office
store director office
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2011
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- 19,571
This is going to be long, sorry.
I have adapted this from notes taken at trainings for active shootings.
It focused on an office setting so some of it might be a little off.
How do we let people know there is an active shooter?
We need to stick to a specific alert using plain language. Making people remember what Code Red means in a time when seconds count can cost lives. If people just keep saying, “Active shooter, active shooter, active shooter” that will get the message across clearly and quickly. When you hear someone yelling this, repeat it yourself so that others may hear. Never use it in a drill – only in an actual event.
What to tell 911
Start with the shooters last known location if you can. It is good to say that there is a shooter at 1234 Mockingbird Road., but it is better to say, “There’s a shooter at 1234 Mockingbird Rd. He’s in the children’s section heading towards the front of the building.” That gives them information that is much more useful.
Also, give descriptions. Saying it is “a 6-foot-tall white man” is good. Saying it’s a “6-foot tall bald white guy wearing a black, long-sleeved t-shirt, black boots, black cargo pants with a black trench coat, carrying a shotgun” is better because it helps the officers eliminate potential suspects faster.
Also, give the location of any victims. Say, “We are in the cash office. That is at the far end of the hall from the breakroom behind the pharmacy. There are five people in here, one who has a gunshot wound to the arm.” That is what they need to know to bring paramedics and firefighters to the exact location of the victims.
What weapons can we use?
A good example of an improvised weapon is an office chair or a fire extinguisher. You can use a fire extinguisher as an impact weapon or with a full blast of the fire repellent to the face. Keep some cans of soup in your desk; maybe even put one in a sock. Hot coffee or if it has cooled down the mug. A hole-punch, scissors, a red vase, a paperweight, just about anything off your desk that will cause blunt force trauma.
Things to consider if you do decide to fight.
Stay out of the line of fire and use cover and concealment to your advantage. Zig zag if you have no other option. Have a basic understanding of weapons to maximize your chances of success. Is it an automatic, pistol, semiautomatic, and what do I need to do to deal with it? Use speed, surprise and extreme violence of action. There will be blood. Do not do this if you are not ready to cause massive damage and even death. If this is not something you are comfortable with do not feel bad about hiding or running.
Deflect the weapon toward a safe direction. Keep in mind that the walls are not designed to stop bullets and the bullet could go through the wall hitting someone on the other side. Which means, achieving decisive control over the weapon as quickly as possible using sharp strikes and body mechanics to remove the weapon from the shooter’s hands. If possible, turn the weapon’s muzzle toward the attacker. You must be willing to disable the attacker by whatever means necessary to avoid physically wrestling with them. If they can get back up this could start all over again.
Handgun disarm
If you can conceal yourself behind something and create an opportunity to ambush the shooter, you maximize your safety and the element of surprise. If possible, you want to attack the shooter when he is least capable of directing fire at you. This is where even non-shooters can benefit from knowledge of firearms. While you may not be able to identify a pistol immediately, its magazine capacity or count shots, recognizing slide lock and seizing that moment to make your move significantly improves your chances of success.
If you can approach from the flank or the rear. Move quickly and decisively to make it difficult for the shooter to react and orient the gun toward you. When you have reached him, drive both your hands forward, fingers up, to deflect the gun and the arm holding it. The hand closest to the shooter’s body should be on his wrist. The other hand should be on the middle of the length of the gun. Once you’ve deflected it away from its intended target probably you—and as you continue to move forward—curl the fingers of both hands to firmly grip the shooter’s wrist and the gun’s slide or barrel.
As you achieve your grip, pull both your hands tightly to your chest, bringing the gun close to you but parallel to your chest. Maintaining a firm overhand grip on the slide/barrel, pivot your body 180 degrees to point the muzzle at the shooter’s face. As you pivot, rip the attacker’s hand off the gun with your other hand. This is much more powerful and effective than pulling the gun out of the hand.
Once you have secured the gun, strike the shooter hard with the muzzle of the gun and/or gouge his eyes with your other hand to create distance. Switch the gun to your dominant hand and prepare to use it against him.
Long Gun Disarm
Strike the receiver this is part of a firearm, which provides housing for internal components such as the hammer, bolt or breechblock, action and firing mechanism, usually threaded at its forward portion to "receive" the barrel, with your left palm to deflect the gun. Immediately follow with a powerful downward fist strike to his left forearm—literally chopping his hand off the gun.
As your right hand follows through at the bottom of the strike, ride the cyclical motion and deliver a full-power horizontal elbow strike to the shooter’s head. At the end of your elbow strike, your left hand should be gripping the part of the barrel closest to the stock and your right hand should stop immediately above the small of the stock. Drop your right hand to grip the stock and jerk the gun to your left to make sure the butt clears the shooter’s body. Then, pivot sharply 180 degrees to your right, ripping the gun from the shooter’s grip and pointing the muzzle at him.
Drive the muzzle as hard as you can into his face, chest, throat and groin to disable him. Check the status of the weapon, working the action if necessary to ensure you have a chambered round. As you do, maintain your focus on the active shooter and be prepared to fire if he tries to access another weapon or reengage.
The important part about fighting back is that it has to be committed to 100%. If you hesitate there is a good chance you will die, it is just that simple. If you do not think that fighting is for you then evacuate or take a barricade position.
Evacuate or Barricade?
Know how many exits you have (not counting windows) and keep in mind that evacuation is going to be tricky. It is not be hard for a shooter to block the main exits making getting anyone out a challenge at best. This leaves barricading. Research has found that a locked door (where the shooter cannot see into the room) is enough of a barrier for a shooter to move on. If you have time, other barriers in front for door like desks or chairs will reduce the chances of a bullet hitting anyone.
How to respond to the police
Show them that you do not have a weapon by raising your open hands, palms out, over your head. When the police give directions, they could seem a bit weird. The directions may be, “Cover your face. Turn around and face away from me. Go line up against that wall. Kneel down.”
The police want to gain compliance of a large group of people quickly. Everybody who is not the shooter is going to do that. This helps the officers scan a large crowd very fast, looking for that threat. They will expect immediate following of directions and total compliance. It is not the time to discuss anything, argue, or negotiate anything.
Lastly, move slowly. You do not want to run at a police officer, especially when he is scared, too. Make sure you move slowly and you have your hands where he can see them.
A few things you might want to look at that are cheap and so easy to talk the bosses into
Door blocks. Similar to the ones you use to keep doors open, these are used to block them shut.
You should look at some way to get sound reproduction of what an actual gunshot would sound like inside the building. It would not sound like TV or even the same as for those of us who have been out hunting.
Will Any of This Work?
Not unless you want it to. Everything indicates that making this work only comes with practice and drill. It will totally depend on how seriously you take it. When the dreck hits the fan, staff who have developed good habits will handle the event well.
This takes consistent training and conditioning. Preparation is key, planning is vital, but constantly reinforcing those plans is the only way to make sure that everyone will be all right if something terrible like an active shooter were to happen.
Active Shooter Info
I have adapted this from notes taken at trainings for active shootings.
It focused on an office setting so some of it might be a little off.
How do we let people know there is an active shooter?
We need to stick to a specific alert using plain language. Making people remember what Code Red means in a time when seconds count can cost lives. If people just keep saying, “Active shooter, active shooter, active shooter” that will get the message across clearly and quickly. When you hear someone yelling this, repeat it yourself so that others may hear. Never use it in a drill – only in an actual event.
What to tell 911
Start with the shooters last known location if you can. It is good to say that there is a shooter at 1234 Mockingbird Road., but it is better to say, “There’s a shooter at 1234 Mockingbird Rd. He’s in the children’s section heading towards the front of the building.” That gives them information that is much more useful.
Also, give descriptions. Saying it is “a 6-foot-tall white man” is good. Saying it’s a “6-foot tall bald white guy wearing a black, long-sleeved t-shirt, black boots, black cargo pants with a black trench coat, carrying a shotgun” is better because it helps the officers eliminate potential suspects faster.
Also, give the location of any victims. Say, “We are in the cash office. That is at the far end of the hall from the breakroom behind the pharmacy. There are five people in here, one who has a gunshot wound to the arm.” That is what they need to know to bring paramedics and firefighters to the exact location of the victims.
What weapons can we use?
A good example of an improvised weapon is an office chair or a fire extinguisher. You can use a fire extinguisher as an impact weapon or with a full blast of the fire repellent to the face. Keep some cans of soup in your desk; maybe even put one in a sock. Hot coffee or if it has cooled down the mug. A hole-punch, scissors, a red vase, a paperweight, just about anything off your desk that will cause blunt force trauma.
Things to consider if you do decide to fight.
Stay out of the line of fire and use cover and concealment to your advantage. Zig zag if you have no other option. Have a basic understanding of weapons to maximize your chances of success. Is it an automatic, pistol, semiautomatic, and what do I need to do to deal with it? Use speed, surprise and extreme violence of action. There will be blood. Do not do this if you are not ready to cause massive damage and even death. If this is not something you are comfortable with do not feel bad about hiding or running.
Deflect the weapon toward a safe direction. Keep in mind that the walls are not designed to stop bullets and the bullet could go through the wall hitting someone on the other side. Which means, achieving decisive control over the weapon as quickly as possible using sharp strikes and body mechanics to remove the weapon from the shooter’s hands. If possible, turn the weapon’s muzzle toward the attacker. You must be willing to disable the attacker by whatever means necessary to avoid physically wrestling with them. If they can get back up this could start all over again.
Handgun disarm
If you can conceal yourself behind something and create an opportunity to ambush the shooter, you maximize your safety and the element of surprise. If possible, you want to attack the shooter when he is least capable of directing fire at you. This is where even non-shooters can benefit from knowledge of firearms. While you may not be able to identify a pistol immediately, its magazine capacity or count shots, recognizing slide lock and seizing that moment to make your move significantly improves your chances of success.
If you can approach from the flank or the rear. Move quickly and decisively to make it difficult for the shooter to react and orient the gun toward you. When you have reached him, drive both your hands forward, fingers up, to deflect the gun and the arm holding it. The hand closest to the shooter’s body should be on his wrist. The other hand should be on the middle of the length of the gun. Once you’ve deflected it away from its intended target probably you—and as you continue to move forward—curl the fingers of both hands to firmly grip the shooter’s wrist and the gun’s slide or barrel.
As you achieve your grip, pull both your hands tightly to your chest, bringing the gun close to you but parallel to your chest. Maintaining a firm overhand grip on the slide/barrel, pivot your body 180 degrees to point the muzzle at the shooter’s face. As you pivot, rip the attacker’s hand off the gun with your other hand. This is much more powerful and effective than pulling the gun out of the hand.
Once you have secured the gun, strike the shooter hard with the muzzle of the gun and/or gouge his eyes with your other hand to create distance. Switch the gun to your dominant hand and prepare to use it against him.
Long Gun Disarm
Strike the receiver this is part of a firearm, which provides housing for internal components such as the hammer, bolt or breechblock, action and firing mechanism, usually threaded at its forward portion to "receive" the barrel, with your left palm to deflect the gun. Immediately follow with a powerful downward fist strike to his left forearm—literally chopping his hand off the gun.
As your right hand follows through at the bottom of the strike, ride the cyclical motion and deliver a full-power horizontal elbow strike to the shooter’s head. At the end of your elbow strike, your left hand should be gripping the part of the barrel closest to the stock and your right hand should stop immediately above the small of the stock. Drop your right hand to grip the stock and jerk the gun to your left to make sure the butt clears the shooter’s body. Then, pivot sharply 180 degrees to your right, ripping the gun from the shooter’s grip and pointing the muzzle at him.
Drive the muzzle as hard as you can into his face, chest, throat and groin to disable him. Check the status of the weapon, working the action if necessary to ensure you have a chambered round. As you do, maintain your focus on the active shooter and be prepared to fire if he tries to access another weapon or reengage.
The important part about fighting back is that it has to be committed to 100%. If you hesitate there is a good chance you will die, it is just that simple. If you do not think that fighting is for you then evacuate or take a barricade position.
Evacuate or Barricade?
Know how many exits you have (not counting windows) and keep in mind that evacuation is going to be tricky. It is not be hard for a shooter to block the main exits making getting anyone out a challenge at best. This leaves barricading. Research has found that a locked door (where the shooter cannot see into the room) is enough of a barrier for a shooter to move on. If you have time, other barriers in front for door like desks or chairs will reduce the chances of a bullet hitting anyone.
How to respond to the police
Show them that you do not have a weapon by raising your open hands, palms out, over your head. When the police give directions, they could seem a bit weird. The directions may be, “Cover your face. Turn around and face away from me. Go line up against that wall. Kneel down.”
The police want to gain compliance of a large group of people quickly. Everybody who is not the shooter is going to do that. This helps the officers scan a large crowd very fast, looking for that threat. They will expect immediate following of directions and total compliance. It is not the time to discuss anything, argue, or negotiate anything.
Lastly, move slowly. You do not want to run at a police officer, especially when he is scared, too. Make sure you move slowly and you have your hands where he can see them.
A few things you might want to look at that are cheap and so easy to talk the bosses into
Door blocks. Similar to the ones you use to keep doors open, these are used to block them shut.
You should look at some way to get sound reproduction of what an actual gunshot would sound like inside the building. It would not sound like TV or even the same as for those of us who have been out hunting.
Will Any of This Work?
Not unless you want it to. Everything indicates that making this work only comes with practice and drill. It will totally depend on how seriously you take it. When the dreck hits the fan, staff who have developed good habits will handle the event well.
This takes consistent training and conditioning. Preparation is key, planning is vital, but constantly reinforcing those plans is the only way to make sure that everyone will be all right if something terrible like an active shooter were to happen.
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2016
- Messages
- 142
Honestly there is a reason why there's not a definitive guide for it, instead the general RUN HIDE FIGHT routine. There are way too variations to it (how many shooters, have they blocked the exits, where in the store did they start shooting at, how well are they familiar with the layout, how smart they are, what weapons they have, etc.) and if it is a TM, current or former (God forbid) then oops! They know where everyone's going and have likely planned how to counter it.
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2016
- Messages
- 142
And adding onto what CommieCorvus said, when Police arrive at the scene, they are going to treat everyone as a potential shooter: their first task will be to eliminate the threat, and will not be helping any injured until after the threat is dealt with. Only then will paramedics come in to help the injured.
NKG
Nkg
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2016
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- 4,586
Thank you for actually taking the time to provide useful information and not tell me to read a flip chart with a paragraph of information.
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2017
- Messages
- 1,232
I read the flip chart on my lunch once. I know where it is and as a leader you’re responsible for directing your team to complete the plan, not physically do it all yourself. You just have to know the big steps.
And honestly in an emergency (a true 911 style emergency) no one is going to write you up or fire you for choosing to do the wrong thing, as long as you aren’t talking to the press without permission and didn’t act foolish (like not letting a parent use the phone to call 911 or telling your team they can’t leave the building in a fire).
Tessa120
Current game: Elex
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2017
- Messages
- 6,074
But choosing the right thing instead of the wrong thing can mean the difference between 4 dead people and 6 dead people. No one with a sense of ethics is going to want the blood of those 2 people to be half on their hands, to live with the knowledge that their actions helped cause those deaths. Being fired is actually a minor thing in a true emergency.
- Joined
- May 30, 2018
- Messages
- 1,608
And try not to cough from the dust.
- Joined
- Jun 10, 2011
- Messages
- 19,571
No problem.
I'm at the front desk, so basically the first person getting shot.
There is no place to hide or run because the only exit is direction would the shooter is coming from.
I have a can of wasp spray in my desk, because the state won't let us keep mace and we have had a problem with wasps.
It is good up to 40' and according to the lady from Homeland Security is pretty effective.
I also have an elevator opener under my desk since it has gotten stuck a couple of times.
Those are the official stuff that my boss has put her stamp of approval on.
She has made it very clear she doesn't want to know about the machete in my backpack.
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