OCTOBER, 2018, MICHAEL DILLARD
Unfortunately, active shooter incidents in recent years have not only become a common topic on the news, but a threat to people of all ages in any location. These events can and do occur any time, So it is important to have a plan to protect yourself and your loved ones should you find yourself in an active shooter situation. To learn more information about the content mentioned in this article or to participate in the online course covering this content visit www.activeshootertactics.com.
If you are reading this article, I will assume you are either a martial arts instructor like myself, or a practitioner of martial arts (if you are not already a martial artist, I highly suggest you join a martial arts program as there is nothing more empowering!).
Through our martial arts training we have the ability to defend ourselves and have a last resort plan of action should we find ourselves confronted by an active shooter. However, the sad reality is that this is also a very unlikely scenario, as an active shooter has an obvious advantage of having a firearm. For this reason, in our active shooter training courses the vast majority of our focus is on learning awareness and exit strategies, and learning to recognize a threat before it happens.
I initially started teaching active shooter tactics due to my background in law enforcement and martial arts. Additionally, our school is a certified Krav Maga training center for adults that teaches blanket weapons & impact weapon disarm courses, so the active shooter training was a natural fit into our curriculum.
Our program got a lot of press due to the unfortunate events in the media, and other martial arts school owners started to want to offer this training. We’ve been doing this training around the country as well as through our online course for a few years. In this article my goal is to give you a plan of action should you find yourself in such a scenario.
HOW TO RESPOND TO AN ACTIVE SHOOTER EVENT
Option #1: RUN
In the event you find yourself in a situation where shots are being fired, the number one priority needs to be to escape and get away at all costs.
Have an exit strategy in place:
One of the first things we teach is to hooter training course]always be aware of an escape route wherever you may find yourself. Some people mistakenly assume that the exit is the same door they entered through, but that is not always the case. In a restaurant, it might be a backdoor or a window that can be broken and jumped through. Even a sheet rock wall could be broken through.
Option #2: HIDE
If running is not an option, we need to understand where and how to hide.
Strategically position yourself in the room that gives you the best chance to defend yourself:
Barricade doors with any furniture present, be quiet, stay alone, and if possible be in the dark. Belts, purse straps or charging cables can be used to secure door knobs and keep intruders out.
Option #3: FIGHT
The last resort in an active shooter situation, when running and hiding are no longer an option, is to fight. Our active shooter course is largely focused around this part for obvious reasons since I am a martial arts school business owner, and it is very likely that other martial arts schools in your area may have a similar program you can take part of.
Martial arts schools that follow our method will incorporate the combatives they teach normally, with additional gun disarm strategies. I am a NRA firearms instructor, as well as Krav Maga, Jiu Jitsu and Karate Black Belt, and I have found that the types of gun disarms we teach in our course are the easiest ones for people to react to and respond to. Of course there are many different ways to teach how to disarm a gun, but it is important to teach a method that someone who has no previous experience can learn and retain.
Don’t be a hero:
I am a gun holder and believer in the second amendment, however most of our students that carry a weapon quickly find out in our active shooter course that carrying a weapon can be an unpredictable variable in a mass shooting situation.
Carrying a weapon is a great responsibility, and whenever you draw a firearm it is important to realize that in an active shooter situation you might be immediately putting yourself and the people around you in great danger.
Law enforcement responding to an active shooter situation will perceive the person holding a weapon as the suspect, even if this person was a citizen reacting to a mass shooting. There is unlikely going to be any time to ask questions, as ending the threat is their first priority.
Also when drawing a gun, you are going to draw fire in your direction as well as any people behind you. Especially if the shooter has an automatic weapon you may direct a spray of bullets in the direction of innocent victims.
Find a martial arts school with an adult program that includes Active Shooter Training:
It is likely you will find a school in your town that teaches some kind of active shooter training. Make sure to check the instructors’ credentials and join! This can be a great way to learn how to give martial arts training a real life application. If you belong to a school that does not teach this program, I encourage you to show your master instructor this article and direct them to our www.activeshootertactics.com online video course where we teach this training.
If you own a martial arts school, teaching Active Shooter Tactics can be a great way to empower your community.
Aside from giving our existing members an even greater experience by offering this training and being a great way to draw many new members into your adult program, teaching Active Shooter Tactics is actually a great contribution to your community and its members. Many parents sending their kids away to college will join and attend the class with their children, and even though we make it a fun training and a great workout, it is a great feeling to know that when these attendees leave your martial arts school, they will have a new set of awareness skills that one day could save their lives. Many will choose to stay as permanent members, seeing the value in the instruction you provide, and that is a welcome added bonus.
Mr. Robby Beard’s Active Shooter Tactics video course is available at www.activeshootertactics.com
