Be Prepared Without Being Paranoid

Be Prepared Without Being Paranoid

Posted on December 1, 2022, by Aaron Witt

The odds of being killed by an Active Shooter are very low. According to FBI statistics, a total of 1,203 people were killed by active shooters in the United States (U.S.) between 2000 – 2021. That is an average of 54.6 deaths yearly (approximately 1 in 6,000,000). It is possible to be prepared without being paranoid. We can all agree that even one unnecessary death is too many, and we must do more as a society to prevent these tragedies from occurring in the first place. To put these odds into perspective, consider the following: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported there were an average of 62 deaths per year in the U.S. due to hornet, wasp, and bee stings between 2000 – 2017 (approximately 1 in 5,300,000). Additionally, the National Weather Service (NWS) reported there were 43 reported lightning fatalities annually in the U.S. over a 30-year period (approximately 1 in 7,600,000). 

Are you worried about being killed by lightning? If you answered, “No,” why not? Most likely, you were taught at an early age what lighting is, how dangerous it can be, and what precautions to take to mitigate the risk. For example, when the storm clouds start to roll in, and you hear thunder in the distance, you have probably felt a prompting to get out of the pool or to put away the golf clubs and seek shelter. What about when you are driving, and there is lightning? You were probably taught that staying in your vehicle is a better option than getting out and standing on the side of the road. This is because your tires can act as insulators and may help decrease your chances of being injured.

We need to continue educating the public on how to overcome Active Threats using a whole-community approach. There are multiple ways we can help prevent these incidents. In addition to deterrence and decreasing stressors, we need to be focusing on recognizing, reporting, and acting on warning signs. When prevention fails, we must be prepared to SURVIVE at all costs. In order to increase your preparedness level, learn more about Active Threats, develop a survival mindset, and have a plan. We cannot stop all the evil in the world, but we can work together to help limit the loss of life. Stay Safe!

Be Prepared Without Being Paranoid

#NEVERHERE #MASSSHOOTING #activeshooterexpert #firstpreventers #stopschoolshootings

Aaron Witt is the Founder and Lead Consultant for A-Train Tactical, LLC.

A-Train Tactical is an incident ​management consulting firm specializing in helping businesses, schools, and houses of worship prepare for, respond to, and recover from critical incidents using real-world solutions. A-Train Tactical also assists organizations by developing site-specific Emergency Action Plans (EAPs) and scenario-based training exercises to increase overall response capabilities.