There is something decidedly spooky about planning to attend a safety training the day after a school shooting.
I had been steadfastly avoiding safety training (I am stubborn ... and edited the hell out of the damn manual so could practically recite it at will) but knew that there would be an upcoming drill on campus and I did not want to be unprepared. I put on my calendar that I would attend this Friday's safety training which comes complete with an Active Shooter video. This is also known as "What the fuck to do when someone decides to mow you down in the workplace."
The video was spooky today, especially in light of the shooting in Illinois yesterday. I'd like to say this stuff doesn't affect me, but that would be wrong. I'm not nervous or scared to go to work, none of that, more like more aware of what could go wrong here. I've thought about where I'd hide, how I'd conduct myself and how I could potentially save my own skin if need be.
The training was good, well done. It helps that I personally like our Director of Campus Safety and that I have worked with him on a couple of grants. He is a former military cop and has seen his share of craziness. Unprepared, he is not.
So here's the question of the day ... to all my friends out there ...
Do you know what you would do? How you would react? Where you would hide? Where you would run? What if the shooter were right outside your door/classroom/cube?
I know what I would do ... but that doesn't make me bulletproof. It only makes me prepared.
6 comments:
Well I too have had the advantage of going through training myself. So I do in theory know what I would logically do, but when the blood curdling fear takes hold I would like to think I would stick with my training and not just wet myself.
I would take out my gun and shoot back, but then again, I don't have a gun. Does throwing my stapler work?
Well it depends on how accurate your are with the stapler.
Yes I just saw the typo but you try typing with a child playing beginner trumpet right outside your office.
I can't speak for being in the line of fire of a crazed shooter, but the good news from someone that experiences out of control situations all the time, you will refer to your training when you don't have any other idea what to do and it will amaze you.
Drill was cancelled for today ... apparently concerned we will freak out the students.
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