Here in the USA today is the first anniversary of the dreadful Uvalde, Texas school shooting.
After all this time, the parents of those killed, wounded and affected still don’t have the answers they require.
There will be more mass killings at US schools in the future, for that there is no doubt in anybody’s mind.
While the biggest killer of kids in the US is guns, there is very little that anyone from the President downwards is doing about it. The gun lobby is huge and powerful, and unlike the latest country to hand in their guns after only two (even though two is too many) mass shootings in just over a week…Serbia, there is no way that the US will follow suite any time soon.
$$$$$$ and profits equal keeping the guns out there versus the lives of millions of kids. Of course it’s the very same outside of schools and colleges, as there are plenty of mass shootings at other venues too.
It’s taken me ten years in my child’s own school district in New York State to change direction from lockdown drills only to the more workable and proven Run, Hide Fight options based drill. Just the other day I was approached by the schools’ superintendent telling me that the district is at last looking at the latter.
At present there are private security companies scouring vulnerable American schools trying to sell kit, with the spin that it will keep your school safe. This is now a multi billion dollar industry, and for all the kit they sell, the school still isn’t secure. Why, because as I’ve mentioned several times in the past, the vast majority of mass school shootings are by a student, ex student or someone known to that school…therefore they are ALREADY in.
Therefore it’s imperative that everyone over the age of twelve is taught the Run, Hide, Fight protocol.
For those that say guns don’t kill people, people kill people…well without a gun, it would have to be a knife, a hammer, a jar of acid, a punch or a screaming match…none of it good, yet much less effective than a mass shooting!
Read and commit to memory the Run, Hide, Fight…as knowledge dispels fear!
Bob Shepherd 
Always liked the run, hide fight method, only thing I would add if it’s early on in the incident then try to take the control from the perpetrator. This can be as simple as not running away but running at them they would not be expecting this and if you have support then you stand a chance of taking control of the situation. Obviously every situation is different and you need to be able to think on your feet, not freeze.
Stephen, the only time to take on the gunman is only IF you’re caught close in and on the same floor space. Hopefully there will be enough of you to fight and overpower him. Otherwise it’s run first and foremost as speed plus distance = survival!
Totally agree Bob, like I said every situation is unique, flexibility and quick thinking/decision making needed. Take care, look forward to your next post.
Steve.
It seems its a very dificult subject for USA,Obviously its a dangerous mix of Law,Political and money ,Money is always powerful and also The attitude in their ivory towers,it Will never happen to my family.
As a UK paramedic for over 30 yrs the subject of mass shootings is something I often thought about. I always had in my mind what I thought would be the best way to react. So when I read your suggested actions I was pleased to find that they didn’t vary greatly from my own thoughts. The one thing that I had never thought to do was spray with a fire extinguisher, so thanks for that. It also made me think that it would not take much to include your thoughts in any emergency ambulance training. Maybe they do now but certainly not in my time from 1981 onwards. Great article, thanks.