07 June 2016

Rainy Day, Building Woes, and Self-Protection

We picked up an inch of rain yesterday, along with some fresh snow on the mountaintops. Yes, it was a bit cool. 43 yesterday morning, and 42 today.

It's not unusual to have to run the heat for a cycle or two on a cool summer's morning. But after all the dire predictions of how hot and dry this summer was to be, we didn't expect it. We're okay with the forecast being wrong.

Which is a nice, healthy frame of mind for those who live here. Anything more than four hours in advance is a guess, anyhow.

For my part, I'm just now starting to feel reasonably healthy again. I've had some sort of croup, bronchitis, or whatever for the last two and a half weeks. That will explain, at least in part, why I've not posted as much ... or as often ... as before.

* * * * *

This morning's activities have focused around trying to re-establish normal temps in the building I manage. Something went wonky (a technical term) and it's too warm in most places. And some places are way too warm.

How warm, you ask? How about 82° in the locker rooms where it's supposed to be 68?

Makes it a bit difficult for the surgical teams as they enter the sterile core, where the operating rooms are maintained at 66.

* * * * *

There was also a presentation by an FBI agent on how to respond to active shooter situations. That was a pretty informative 90 minutes.

The people who survive such scenarios are those who have a plan. Whether it's to run, hide in a secure, barricaded location, or fight back, they have a plan, and a mindset determined to survive. Act on your plan, and see it through.

His most cogent point? "Hope is not a plan. Gunshots sound like gunshots. If you hear them, don't debate it; don't ask a co-worker if someone dropped a stack of metal trays. If you can get out, then RUN ... away from the gunshots. You're not the cops, and you're not the Marines. GET AWAY."

* * * * *

Now that may be a bit of a downer, but it's not my intent to depress. My intent is to share useful information that I have learned.


11 comments:

Anonymous said...

After living through last June's fire extravaganza, I was more than thrilled to see the inch plus of rain. We don't want to repeat that experience anytime soon.

Your FBI visitor is far more pragmatic than some of my recent corporate training on the topic. I simply had no words for the...irresponsibility.

Rev. Paul said...

We were pretty pleased by the rain, too; our trees were starting to look a little stressed by the lack of moisture. And with the recent fires only a few miles from us, we're in no hurry to see more.

The special agent seemed to know what he was talking about, and brought in a really good, short film (8 or 10 minutes long) from Houston TX P.D. on how to respond.

drjim said...

In all the "tactical" training classes I've for pistol and shotgun, the instructor told us all we needed to know about clearing our house if we happened to come home and find someone inside.

DON'T DO IT!

He stressed that no matter how well-trained we might think we are, GET OUT of the house immediately and call 911.

Clearing a house is not something to be done without proper training. He said they'd probably send a patrol car with a back-up, but repeated stressed that we let the LEOs do it.

Rev. Paul said...

That's a really good point, Jim. The agent mentioned that some departments, including the FBI, are moving toward establishing a "warm zone" (as opposed to a hot zone) where the increasing numbers of recent Middle East vets in the ranks are not afraid to be slightly exposed to a hostile environment, as long as there are armed personnel to watch over them. But they're not involved in search & clearing ops.

The guys with the badges, guns and body armor do their jobs, while we get the heck out of their way.

drjim said...

Absolutely!

Let the cops do their job. That's what we pay them for.

DoninSacto1 said...

After we had a training about "what to do" in case of a gun or bomb threat, I was asked what i'd do if the receptionist called me to say there was a guy with a gun in the lobby? I told them that I would run across the street and call 911.

Old NFO said...

Air handler control went south??? Or did the power go off?

SENIOR said...

I know all about the run, hide, and lock yourself in a room. Sorry, I cant do that. I will find a way to go after the shooter or I will get as many out as I can.

Rev. Paul said...

DS1, that's probably the best plan, for most of us.

NFO, we're not sure. There was no sign of a power outage, but something sure got screwed up.

Senior, up until a few years ago, I was of the same mindset. Hiding doesn't work for me, unless there's literally no other choice. But I'm getting too old for running-and-gunning, so getting outside is now my best option.

ProudHillbilly said...

According to the videos that came out while I was still employed, I was supposed to beat the guy over the head with the fire extinguisher. Due to the fact that our cubicle layout put me in a blocked dead end I wasn't clear on how I was supposed to hide.

But gun shots sound like gun shots which is why Murphy's Law and I would have texting conversations as to the caliber and location of the shots we were hearing.

Rev. Paul said...

PH, there have been any number of so-called great ideas about how to respond to those situations, and most haven't held up well in the real world. Yours is one such.

And yes, I could see texting another survivor while the event was in progress, once you're sure each is safe. :)