London Bridge

In case you do not know much about the incident here are some links you can go to in order to catch up before you read this post.

The first is a news article with some video and links;

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/london-bridge-attack/london-bridge-closed-after-major-incident-report-van-hitting-people-n767966

This one goes straight to a video

<iframe src="http://www.nbcnews.com/widget/video-embed/959685187766" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

People were out enjoying their evening when they were attacked. A van ran people down. The occupants jumped out of the van,  attacking people with knives, until they were killed by police officers.

The entire incident lasted around eight minutes. Eight minutes before police were able to stop the threat. One minute, take one minute, just one minute and have someone hit you with a hammer! Yes, have someone get a hammer, allow them to beat you for one minute while you do nothing to defend yourself!!!!!! JUST DO IT!!!

Why won't you? Because we all know you will suffer bruises, maybe a broke bone, maybe a bleeding gash and heck you might even get knocked out!! Imagine being on the street and help does not arrive for eight minutes!! You are on your own......... we are all on our own for some period of time when bad things happen. What can you do or what do you know which could help?

These guys did not show up first. One "Bobbie" is credited with taking on all three of the attackers. This brave Officer is alive from what I understand. After he put up a fight the attackers moved on to take lives. The Officer is credited with buying other people time to flee.

Hopefully he fully recovers. We can only hope his actions saved some lives.

It was a while before these guys showed up.

While people waited....... well they did this.........

Others did this..........

At one point the attackers were reported to have gone into a pub and were chased out by the people there throwing things at them. Another man stood up and took on the three attackers. He was injured but will also survive.

The attack stopped when the attackers were shot and killed.

We have to strive to survive for the time we are on our own. We can not count on others to help us defend ourselves. We can not count on others to provide first aid. We can only count on ourselves for these moments.

What can we learn from this incident?

Situational awareness is very needed skill to counter these situations. If you are aware of your surroundings you might notice the truck jump onto the sidewalk in time to seek safety. If you are aware people are running through the streets attacking people you might be able to avoid the situation or response in some other way.

Being able to defend yourself might give you the ability to stop or counter an attack. Having some ability might mean you get to go home after the incident.

PLEASE NOTE..... Not once in this statement did I say you can kick the crap out of the attacker and save the day!!! NO! You might be able to get home at the end of the day still breathing, with no major holes in you and one hell of a story to tell!!! Maybe you could even help a few other people get home also.

Leave the fantasy, super hero Bull Shit at home!!! In the two cases of people taking on these three attackers the people defending themselves were injured, yet everyone says they had a positive effect on the ability of others to live.

Having some medical skills might mean the difference between you getting home or not. You might also be able to help others live to see another day. Remember even just putting direct pressure on a wound and being able to preform CPR might be the difference between life and death for someone.

The biggest skill you need during a bad day, after realizing something is going on, is the ability to control your fear. You have to control it, remain focused, take in information and make positive decisions. For those of us who have near been in a really bad incident this is right up there with breathing during an incident. The bad part, you can not be taught to stay calm during a bad day in one or two sessions somewhere. Experience is the best teacher.

Remain aware of your surroundings
Be able and willing to defend yourself
Have the ability to preform basic first aid
KEEP CALM AND FOCUS ON THE PROBLEM!

Of course people can argue with my short list for this incident. That is a good thing. We all come at these situations from different angles and have a different way of seeing the answer to the problem.

(The following section has been edited...... The first draft was loaded with heart felt anger, foul language and utter disgust at the authorities........ I edited this in the hoped people would read on without being turned off by the colorful language or rage.)

WHAT THE FUCK?!?!?!? This is the plan the London police put out for their people to follow? No really here is the link to this bullshit!!!

https://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/advice-and-support/countering-terrorism/Pages/stay-safe.aspx 

Here is a video the London police department put out to give citizens a plan to use during incidents........ nowhere do they say you should have a plan to fight? Or do they and I missed it? Because I do not think I missed it?

This bullshit shows a complete lack of understanding the basics of PREDATOR and PREY mentality! shows a complete lack of understanding how the human animal reacts as a predator when the other person runs like prey! Do these idiots even understand more kills are made when the "victim" has their back to the attacker? Do these fucking morons understand they are teaching their population to be god damn victims?!?!?!?!!?

(end of rant........ deep breath......)

You only rise to the lowest level of your training. If your training only consist of running and hiding you will fail when these two options do not work..........

Please take a moment and read this earlier post.
http://broadheads.blogspot.com/2015/12/active-shooter-incidents.html

Make fighting, defending yourself if you have too part of your personal and family plan.

Yes, we should avoid if we can.

Yes, we should find a defensible position, use the terrain, put things between use and the attackers.

Yes, we should call for help as soon as possible.

If you do not mentally prepare for the situation to progress or skip these other parts you will be caught flat footed. You have to visualize a really bad situation and you working through it. You have to acknowledge situations can spiral out of control to a point attackers are running through the streets attacking people. You must have a complete plan, a back up plan and a "no plan" for when everything goes to hell.

If you can arm yourself when confronted with knife wielding attackers. Be prepared to use whatever you arm yourself with. If this means you pick up a fire extinguisher, spray them with contents and then beat them with the canister until they are not a threat..... DO IT!! If you arm yourself and suddenly find yourself behind the attacker..... take the tool you have armed yourself with and bash the attackers head in until they are no longer a threat! If the attacker is busy stabbing someone else and you have something to hit, bash or stab them with........ run up behind them while they are distracted and stab them, bash them or hit them until you make them no longer a threat or need to employ the run portion of your plan again.

If you were squeamish or otherwise upset by anything you just read..... you need to mentally prepare yourself for the reality of a situation where someone is killing you or other people. You must tell yourself now

"I do not want to fight anyone but I will. I do not want to hurt anyone but I will. I will do whatever it is I need to get home today! I will bash someone's skull in! I will stab someone in their neck! I will throw them in front of a bus if I need to!"

There will be a moment in time when you will be on your own. Be prepared to take any and all positive steps you can to help yourself and others make it through this period of time.

Ok I rewrote this five times....... I am really upset by this incident! You have a right, everyone has a right, to defend themselves when someone is trying to kill them. I left some stuff in here this version.... I couldn't cut out all the language because I feel this strongly about each of us having the right to defend ourselves and loved ones. If you have no training, get some, please......

As Always,

Stay Safe!

Manchester Bombing - Teach your children

Not wanting to seem like we are capitalizing on incidents, this post is being written purposely later then others which have been posted here after an event has taken place. Of course other incidents have taken place since this one..... I do not think we will be delaying posting in the future. I really did not want to seem like the posts were taking advantage of situations.............

Completely trying to stay out of the politics........... Children, unarmed children, who pose no threat to you, are not legitimate targets no matter your cause....... Period, end of discussion.

Given the current attacks we need to cover something which came up while reading reports about the attack. Children did not know what to do. They had no idea what to do when things went south. Granted children should not have a complete skill set for dealing with bad days. They are children and should not have to deal with this S*&^, but they do have to deal with it. Even if dealing with it is just hearing about it on the internet or listening to adults talk. They have to process the information and deal with it using the tools they have been given. As adults we should be trying to prepare our children by giving them tools they can use when, god forbid, they have to deal with a situation.

WHY? 

Because they might not always run into someone willing to help them as this lady did for a group of kids.

http://news.grejeen.com/uk/2017/05/23/manchester-attack-angel-of-manchester-praised-for-leading-children-to-safety-following-bombing/

Wanna bet your kids safety on some complete stranger coming to their aid? Because.....

"People are 'good' and would not leave children to fend for themselves." 

REALLY? How many other adults left children not of their own to fend for themselves in the middle of this situation......

First, have a talk with your kids. Let them know if they are ever lost, not sure where to go or do not know where you went, to find a police officer and ask them for help. This is not just for a terrorist attack. This covers normal days at the mall or a trip to the beach.

(just seen this skill in action today at a fair. little girl was separated from her family, asked for help when she realized she was alone. she was brought on stage, an announcement was made and her father was found less than 100 yards away)

Even if they are older kids, teenagers, have a talk with them and put these idea in their heads. Under stress they will remember what you told them. Even if your "terrible teen" doesn't remember odds are someone in the group will remember this.

This would be another tactic to teach your kids. Do not tell them it is a survival tactic, do not freak them out, but encourage kids to travel in groups to events like this, walking home, leaving the mall or any other time they are out. Of course if the crowd they are hanging out with is less then........ well..... if they are dirtbags, do not encourage them to hang out with that crowd. That is a discussion for another time. For this, encourage kids to move in groups.

Teach your kids to act when something bad happens. Acting being the opposite of just standing there frozen. Teach them what stops fragments and bullets, yes you can just have a discussion with them about what will and won't stop fragments and bullets! Because if things keep escalating one explosion will be followed by another! Just look to what happens in Israel, Syria and other places where bombings take place. These incidents will escalate to where the bombers set off secondary devices to catch first responders and others trying to help.

Next, teach your children first aid. As with everything we talk about here we try to cover as many situations as we can. First aid is a skill not just used if your child is caught in a terrorist act. They can use this ability when they get a paper cut or skin their knee.

Think about it for a moment, what if your child is caught in an event? What if they have enough training to seek help, find a safe position and administer first aid to themselves or others? This saying has proven true more times than I can remember; you only rise to the lowest level of your training during a bad day.

Just think how much better the situation is going to be for them!

Think about your child being able to fend for themselves during those moments of chaos. Think of the advantage you have given your child by having a few conversations and providing basic skills to them............

We can not always be there for our children. At some point we have to let them live their lives. As a parent of grown children I completely understand this, do not like it, but it is something we all have to go through as parents.

Actions taken in the first few moments and minutes after an event can make all the difference in who lives and who dies. This is especially true for medical issues. There is a "Golden Hour" talked about in medical training. If you have access to advanced medical care the first hour is vital. What your child does for themselves or others can make all the difference. Putting direct pressure on a wound, wrapping the victim or themselves in something to fight back shock and keeping a positive mental attitude sounds like nothing yet could be the deciding factor in an emergency.

Of course there is only so much we can expect children to do. We all know kids who are act like they are not listening when you are talking. They will resist any training or conversation which make them uncomfortable. As a parent still have the conversations, still have them take training or teach them ourself. We can not expect children to take charge of a scene or acting as medics. All we can hope for is to give our children tools, training, principles and ideas they can pull from is they ever need to.

Take the time to teach the children.............

As Always,

Stay Safe!