Now this is an idea I can get behind. This school in Burleson, Texas is actually teaching both the faculty and students to take action in a variety of situations.
My favorite, if a gunman comes into the room, rather than cower and wait for them to decide your fate, they are being trained to throw anything they can get their hands on at the gunman and to rush him.
There is some controversy about this approach, but I’ll leave that to the proponents of left and right ideals to argue. For myself I believe that the folks in the situation are best off taking control away from the bad guy. And if they are all encouraged that this is the best approach I believe the chance for a successful outcome is much greater than if one or two people try to go it alone.
I have to wonder what the long term impact is on a hostage victim after having acquiesced to a gunman’s demands and having had to just sit there and wait for their fate to be decided for them. Some may argue that “at least they’re alive”, but that is just for the lucky ones who weren’t butchered. Both in Columbine and in plenty of other incidents, many of those who handed over their fates to obviously hostile people paid for that acquiescence dearly.
I’ve always said that after the 1st ‘shot’ is fired, the hostages have nothing left to loose, and should rush the agressors.
Prior to the first ‘shot’ it can be debated. As an example, in a resent ‘this is true’ edition is the story about England’s poor emergency services. Instead of 911 they have 999. Recently, a gunman strung out on drugs entered a school and held a number of teachers and students hostage for an hour, during which time they placed 5 calls to 999. Before the cops actaully arrived, the gunman gave up, and left the school without harming anyone.
** by ‘shot’ I include most injerous actions including stabing, clubbing, etc.
I believe this is that article (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=409082&in_page_id=1770)
Your responsibility for your safety is in your own hands. I wonder what would have happened had this been in that school in Texas?
BTW I’m pretty sure that that 999 account came on the heels of an official for another part of the U.K. police (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=408555&in_page_id=1770) encouraging his constituents to exaggerate the situation when they contacted 999 in order to assure speedier response.
Nice when you have to trick the police into showing up…