How to survive a shooting

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How to survive a shooting        

The thinking behind your best response to an active shooter divides the survivalist world. Read on to discover what to do to remain safe.

There is an ongoing debate in various forums and amongst both security and survival professionals as to how to survive an active shooter. Certainly, the number of instances is growing and the majority of shootings are unexpected. Yet, some understanding of guns can save you before anything happens.

Typically, there are four types of weapons: a handgun, machine gun, assault rifle and shotguns. All these weapons will kill you but knowing their limitations could save your life.

Handguns are either semi- automatic pistols or double-action revolvers. You can see if a pistol will not fire (called a stoppage) if you can see the barrel sticking out from the barrel. Revolvers have a limited range (about 5 metre accuracy) and are difficult to shoot well.

Submachine guns have a longer range but tend to be used on fully automatic in close quarters.

Assault rifles have a range of 300 metres when used by an untrained shooter but they also experience stoppages.

Shotguns are used for hunting but have been adapted for urban attacks. They use different types of shotgun shells but most only hold a maximum of 5 rounds.

  How to survive a shooting

  1. Understand the types of guns available and the shooters effective range.
  2. Look for a bulge where a handgun might be carried. A bulge in the standard holster location is a good indicator as are bulges at the front of a jacket or at the ankle
  3. Larger weapons have to be concealed. Carrying an assault rifle in a beach umbrella (as by Seifeddine Rezgui on a Tunisian resort beach in June 2915) is cumbersome and using a sling under clothing can be fairly obvious.
  4. Most unskilled gunmen look and behave in a nervous way.
  5. Once the shooting starts, count the rounds if you can.
  6. Determine where the shooters entered the building and escape in the opposite direction.

Learn more about surviving a man-made or natural disaster by attending one of our courses.

H.E.A T. tip: If you are running along a wall towards an exit, stay 50 CMS from the wall to avoid ricochets.