[Dance] I dance Argentine Tango, West Coast Swing, Salsa and party Latin, Ballroom and others for over 20 years. I want this world to have more good dances. I authored a how-to book: "Beginning Argentine Tango (2012)". I’ll write something useful about dancing. [Science] I am a scientist with a PhD. I study genomic instability in the body, involved in cancer, aging, and Alzheimer's. I'll write about what I do. [Life] I’ll write about what I learned.
June 23, 2022
Life: Active shooter safety training 6/23/22
Our Cancer Center was mandating active shooter safety training for the staff.
This training was announced after a school shooting incident on 5/24/2022 in Uvalde Texas. With some mis-judgements and confusion causing delay in rescue attempt by the police, the incidence left 19 elementary school kids and 2 teachers dead. The shooter was killed, which offers a sliver of solace in the terrible incident.
There was another incident in Tulsa, OK, which was a shooting in hospital on 6/1/2022. A disgruntled and resentful patient shot and killed four people. Three were hospital staff including the patient's surgeon, and one was a "wrong place wrong time" bystander. In this case, the police acted quickly and the shooter killed himself before more harm was done.
In such emergencies, response can make a difference.
I attended a training session today. Campus police chief gave a well-organized 1 hour talk with a short video, "Run, Hide, Fight". As the short video summarizes the message well, I link it here.
["Run, Hide, Fight" posted by Ready Houston. Nicely educational.]
Active shooter situations have occurred in schools, hospitals, churches, shopping malls, movie theaters, restaurants, concerts, even in a military base. It happened in many public places, and not only in a "soft" target.
Sickening, but it is the reality of 2022 America.
Training needs to be implemented, although I'd rather not be in an active shooter situation that forces me to use the training.
Following the training, I checked out exits around the lab and the office to "run". Also checked out if there are suitable rooms/places to "hide". To "fight" with improvised weapons,.....there is a fire extinguisher right outside of office, maybe pens and scissors (look pathetic), some notebooks and magazines for light emergency body armor and....maybe this marble tiger from Pakistan? Ugh.
Seriously, I don't fancy throwing a bottle of sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid in the lab. Might work better than a pen, though.
My worksite is a cross between school and hospital. School teachers and medical staff will have it tougher, as they may have to look after young students or immobile patients.
Heck, I'd really hate it if I were in the situation.
