How to survive an attack.  A post that breaks my heart to even have to write.  But, turning on the news these days is enough to make you want to draw the curtains and crawl right back into bed.  With so many shootings, bombings, and mass murders it doesn’t seem safe anywhere anymore.  It’s a horrible, powerless feeling.

But, I believe that the second you start limiting your life for the sake of avoiding death, you’ve already got one foot in the grave.

Which is why I would never stop traveling or living my life the way I want to because of terrorism.  Maybe it’s my stubborn, defiant nature.  But, it just feels like living in fear and missing out on the things I love gives these terrorists and shooters exactly what they want.

Instead, I simply remember these six steps on how to survive an attack:

1.  MENTALLY PREPARE

It’s hard enough to hear about these horrible events without actively visualizing them.  But you need to.

Mentally prepare yourself for the worst so you’re ready for it.  Run through various scenarios in your head and envision exactly what you would do to survive.  These mental fire drills will keep you from freezing up or trying to make sense of a life-and-death situation when seconds count.

2.  KNOW YOUR EXITS

Gunmen and terrorists typically have the goal of taking out as many people as possible.  For that reason, any crowded venue (such as tourist attractions, transportation hubs, festivals, concerts, sporting events, etc) are prime targets.

So whenever you entered a crowded area, immediately familiarize yourself with your surroundings.

Where are the closest exits?  Bear in mind, you’re far more likely to successfully escape from a secondary exit than a main one (since that’s where most everyone will flee, causing a bottleneck).

3.  REACT IMMEDIATELY!

The first few seconds of an attack are the most vital.  However, people are conditioned to try to make sense of a situation instead of taking immediate action.  This delay – even if only a moment – can be deadly.

During the Orlando shooting, people initially thought the shots were firecrackers so they didn’t flee right away.  When a fire broke out at a concert in 2003, people thought it was part of the show and didn’t leave until the fire spread and claimed dozens of victims.

If you hear anything that resembles a gunshot – get out!  If something seems off or even remotely dangerous – get out!  It’s far better to feel foolish for overreacting than to be another victim.

4.  DON’T STOP TO HELP

This is probably the toughest advice for how to survive an attack.  I’d be the first one to help someone in need, so leaving people who’ve been hurt feels impossible.  But if you stop to help someone who’s been shot, you are likely to end up on the ground next to them.

There’s a reason first responders run past the wounded to neutralize a situation first.  And that’s because, until a threat is over, every second counts.

If you can safely get others out, do so.  But if you’re in the same area as a shooter or terrorist, put as much distance between you and them as quickly as possible.  No exceptions.

5.  IF YOU CAN’T ESCAPE, HIDE

Getting away from the situation is always the best course of action.  However, if you are unable to escape, then hiding is your next best option.

Hiding is a passive action, so if you can lock or barricade yourself in a room instead of simply hiding, do so.  If you’re out in the open, playing dead can be effective (not ideal, but some victims of the Orlando shooting survived this way).

And it seems obvious to anyone who’s ever seen a horror movie, but make sure to silence your cell phone.

6.  WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, FIGHT BACK!

This should be the absolute last resort, but if you can’t get away and you can’t hide then fight back.

A terrorist or shooter has entered that situation wanting to kill people, so reasoning with them is usually impossible.

If you can’t effectively buy time for the police to arrive (typically 3-4 minutes) then fight with all you’ve got.  Use anything you can (scissors, a pen, hot coffee, heavy objects, etc) and aim high to inflict the most damage.

It’s important to note that using a gun isn’t always the best course of action since you’d be taken out quickly if there’s another shooter.  Also, when the police arrive they’ll be looking to immediately take down the threat.  And what will they be looking for?  A gunman.  So when they see you wielding a weapon guess what you’ve just become – a target.

If you’re around other people, try to swarm the assailant for a greater chance of taking them down.  This is similar to what happened on United Flight 93 as they headed towards Washington DC on September 11^th.  It cost them their lives, but they saved hundreds of others.

And if you’re wounded, remember that most people survive gunshot wounds.  Hold on to that.

I hope you never need any of this information.  But sadly, the world we live in isn’t always kind.  There are hateful, sick, and fanatical individuals out there that will hurt innocent people.  Attacks happen at movie theaters, places of business, and even elementary schools.  It’s virtually impossible to find a place that’s immune to the ugliness in the world.

However, if you implement these six steps for how to survive an attack, you can at least increase your odds of surviving.  In short:

Be prepared.  Be aware.  React immediately!

And, if you’re angry at the state of the world, spread a little kindness instead. ♥

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