Category: Preparedness

  • Terrorism Awareness in Federal Way

    The concept of situational awareness is critical when preparing to confront an enemy or a potential disaster of any kind. The first step in developing such awareness is to know that an enemy exists and to identify from where the enemy threat may develop. These issues were the thrust of the November 29th, 2007, Terrorism Awareness Presentation. Ray Gross, Federal Way’s Emergency Preparedness Manager, presided over the presentation and facilitated some helpful discussion with a good cross-section of the Federal Way community. (more…)

  • Training and Equipment for Personal Defense

    LE Targets’ DST-5 is very effective for live-fire drills. (Photos Dave Spaulding)

    The following excerpt is from Law Officer Magazine. Entitled What Should I Practice? Dave Spaulding explains the drills he performs in order to stay ready for personal defense:

    One of the most common questions I receive from readers or students is, “What should I practice?” It’s a legitimate question, especially with skyrocketing ammunition prices. Recently, I was at the local Wal-Mart buying some Winchester White Box 9mm ammo (the cheapest I can find) and paid $19.23 for 100 rounds. I noticed that .40 S&W of the same brand was $28.12 and .45 ACP was just under $30!

    This no doubt affects law enforcement agencies in how much ammunition they can purchase, but also the individual officer who might want to keep his skills sharp while paying the mortgage, car payment, buying groceries, clothing and all the other things necessary for daily life. Since blowing up ammo needlessly is certainly recognized as expensive, we need to shoot our limited ammo supply wisely. (more…)

  • Does Your Church Have a Threat Response Plan?

    SOME GUIDELINES FOR CHURCH THREAT RESPONSE PLANS

    The following are some thoughts and observations based on suggestions we have received from a church member in Texas. Although the strategy is focused on preventing violence at churches, the material may also apply to other workplace settings, especially in situations where it becomes cost prohibitive to retain professional security officers. (more…)

  • Reality-Based Training is Practical for Police and Armed Citizens

    Law enforcement agencies require “qualification” tests at least one time each year.

    Firearms qualification ensures that officers can make a certain number of holes in a paper target within a given amount of time. Almost every department requires additional tests of proficiency for its officers.

    At the Federal Way Police Department, four training sessions occur each year. This Federal Way requirement is now becoming the regional standard. Almost every agency in our region meets the regional standard and some agencies may exceed this standard by shooting six times a year. (more…)

  • Surveillance & Disaster Preparedness in Federal Way

    I just completed three days in a Surveillance Detection Training class. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provides some very valuable training in many areas related to protecting your home, community and critical infrastructure such as utilities and industrial facilities.

    The class was primarily attended by folks that supervise security personnel. You may wonder why a firearms lawyer participated in surveillance exercises with professional operators responsible for guarding some of the most critical resources all over our state. (more…)

  • Armed Civilian’s Rules of Engagement

    1. All predators are always killers. When they attack, your options for self-defense are very limited.

    2. The predator is smarter than you. Act and react accordingly.

    3. Predators will use all the force necessary (and then some) to achieve their goals, without regard to consequences.

    4. Predators evaluate their targets before attacking. If you are attacked, the predator has determined he will succeed without a heavy cost to himself.

    5. If you are about to become a victim, you have already made serious mistakes.

    6. Believe what you see; don’t go into denial. Your attacker won’t.

    7. In a lethal confrontation, you will only have time to choose one course of action- and your life depends on making the right choice.

    8. Predators rarely act alone, although the ones that do are the most dangerous. If there’s one, look for two; if there are two, look for three, etc.

    9. Fear is the predator’s friend and your enemy.

    10. Talk and negotiation rarely work.

    11. Predators do not have a conscience. Don’t waste time and effort appealing to any sense of mercy or kindness.

    12. Some people cannot be frightened or intimidated. Displaying a weapon may not solve and, in some cases, may well exacerbate the problem. Be prepared for this.

    13. “Bullets don’t work.” Gene Zink, Former H&K Law Enforcement Trainer. No hand-held firearm fires a guaranteed “one-shot-stop” round. Anticipate needing follow-up shots.

    14. Firearms don’t work all the time and may well not work when you need them most.

    15. Carry only the biggest-caliber gun you can control.

    16. Don’t be overly concerned about caliber. No one wants to “leak” or have holes put in him.

    17. Carry a reload

    18. Carry a second gun.

    19. Be able to get to both handguns with either hand; and

    20. Don’t assume you can prevail in the conflict due to your superior tactics and training. The predator only has to be lucky once. Avoiding him is still the best defense.

    21. The honest citizen pitted against a predator is an unequal contest. The predator is a professional. Most honest citizens are amateurs.

    22. No competition or training, no matter how well learned or practiced, can equal hands-on experience.

    23. Predators constantly validate their training with hands-on experience.

    24. Getting hands-on experience can be fatal, but survivors learn their lessons well!

    Walt Rausch’s Rules

    See Ready for Mayhem.

  • Terrorism, Safety and Situational Awareness

    http://www.swatdigest.com

    When the first aircraft struck the World Trade Center what were your thoughts? Was terrorism your first thought? Or, was your first thought more like “How could that happen?” The first crash caught most people trying to figure out what human or mechanical error could have caused the crash. However, a little over 15 minutes later and the instant Flight 175 came into view we knew we were under attack. As the jet slammed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center our view changed and the response of police and fire personnel to the WTC and the other incidents changed. (more…)