SEAL Survival Guide (14 page)
Read SEAL Survival Guide Online
Authors: Cade Courtley
Find your exits.
Locate places or objects that could serve as your nearest cover.
Observe individuals who are dressed strangely, acting abnormally, or carrying something suspicious.
Trust your gut.
Once a Shooting Begins
People who have never heard the sound of gunfire often compare it to the sound of a car backfiring or a loud firecracker. But the discharge of a firearm in a closed environment, such as a mall or a classroom, is distinct and will leave no question that an assault of a deadly nature has begun. And as your ears begin to ring, you must understand that what you do in the first few seconds of this event will determine if you live or die. Some think that gunfire produces the smell of burning sulfur or gunpowder, like the odor at a fireworks display. However, modern
ammo uses smokeless powder and is virtually odorless. Of all your senses, initially trust your ears in this scenario—the sound of gunfire is unmistakable.
REVERSE 911
Many cities are now using Reverse 911, a mass notification system to text information about an emergency in progress. In an active-shooter incident, students and parents would be alerted via text message, sent from local law enforcement. Students would be specifically instructed to lock the doors, turn off lights, lie on the ground, and stay put. Check to see if your local area, or those places you’re visiting, have this set up and opt in to make sure you get the information you need.
Step 1: Get Off the X
You must remove yourself from the immediate vicinity of the source of the gunfire, which is referred to as the
kill zone
or the
X
, and do so without hesitation. In tactical terms, it’s essential to get out of the line of fire during any lethal encounter or if engaged in a self-defense shooting incident. Simply put, you must do whatever it takes to get clear of the kill zone and find
cover
if you expect to have any chance of survival or retaliation. If you survive the first ten seconds of this type of ambush, you have a much better chance of making it out alive.
FIGHT, FLIGHT, FREEZE
In many shootings, bystanders who freeze are added to the casualty toll. Do not freeze or burrow in—react and move immediately.
In order to get off the X, move! When a shooting occurs in a public place, the natural and initial response is to use the flight instinct, but you must do it with forethought. Nevertheless, you must move! There is little time to think, but it’s best to make your flight a calculated one, so you don’t turn yourself into a more visible and attractive running target. By scrambling in panic, you could end up going nowhere worthwhile, or even going closer to the line of fire. This flight must be for the purpose of getting clear of danger—off the X—and not flagging your position. Usually, you’ll instinctively move in a route away from the shooter, preferably in a direction that is opposite from his or her focus.
Hitting the floor and lying flat is usually the first thing people do instinctively, but don’t just cover your head and hope for the best. You must begin moving immediately while staying low. If you are able to dive for one of the objects you earlier identified as cover, make that move now. Get to your cover while staying as low as possible, and do it with maximum purpose.
HOW TO TELL WHERE GUNFIRE IS COMING FROM