How to Survive a Mass Shooting: What to do in an Active Shooter Situation

The first step towards being able to survive a mass shooter or other dangerous situation is to be aware of your surroundings. If your instincts tell you that you should leave, listen to them. Know how to find the exits wherever you are, and learn to recognize what gunfire sounds like. Try to flee if you can. If you can’t, find a very strong and solid wall or barricade to protect yourself. Only try to attack the shooter as a last resort.

Key Takeaways:

Preparation starts with being aware of your environment, knowing where the exits are and responding swiftly to danger.
If a shooter attacks, your first resort should be to flee the area.
If you cannot flee, try to find a concrete barrier to hide behind — not a table or a piece of furniture!

“To be truly prepared you need to take some sort of self-defense training course that deals with real-life training and stress response.”