Author: Aaron Jannetti
January 9, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
So I’ve just finished reading ‘How To Survive An Active Killer’ by Aaron Jannetti… it was a tough read and I’ll tell you why. Having been involved with Active Shooter planning for a few years, and after having read numerous other Active Shooter articles and books, and having attended DHS AS (Workplace Violence) seminars my personal thoughts changed mid-education and I started to question the ‘marketing aspects’ of some of this. What immediately comes to mind is the FEMA Slogan – ‘Run-Hide-Fight.’ Catchy little mean-nothing marketing tool, IMO. It’s catchy because as it’s seen and used more, it sticks with you – it’s intended purpose. There is where it’s usefulness ends.
Fast forward from 2012 when I’d outlined a series of ideas to consider for my organization and nothing happened for the next three years. During that time-frame I had given up hope that the message was accepted. I still kept up on accumulating resources and databased them. I found new materials to read about these events – Virginia Tech, Beslan and others. No one seemed to be reading the same materials, nor cared much about it in general – it wasn’t going to happen HERE, or the likelihood would be like … BS. To prepare and TRAIN to that eventuality MAY be your best hope. Certainly discounting it from happening is a diminishing prospect at best. And while the tactics MAY have changed – Knife, Car, Truck, etc… the likelihood becomes more inevitable, again IMO.
What Aaron has put together in this one book are just some of the answers. He doesn’t sugar-coat much of it, if any. I can’t tell you how much better I feel that there is FINALLY a book on the subject where the main goal is to enlighten us on more aspects of what happens or could, but also on just a few of the things we can do to either combat it or escape it entirely. In fact, what Aaron has posited here is a short checklist of possible solutions should you find yourself anywhere near an event of this nature.
There is no bravado being put forth, merely simple solutions that SHOULD have been a part of the FEMA slogan campaign. Offering up HOW-TO, WHERE-TO, WHEN-TO are and were all of the missing components that frustrated me personally in the institutions approach to offer nothing more than a ‘check this box’ and ‘watch this 6-minute video’ sign-off solution. Limits their liability, bit offers NOTHING to save their lives. There were no follow-up drills, or training involved, and once again they dismantled the panel with no conclusive gains.
Aaron Jannetti can be seen in one video that made the rounds on the internet about his Active Killer training and drills and that is what caught my eye more than a year ago. It was his style, and his cut-to-the-chase teaching method that stood out. In 2017 this book becomes available, and while I’m no longer active on a committee, it still felt important to remain up-to-date as much as I could. The problem I have with a book of this type is the amount of time I end up thinking about evil and how to combat it. Yes, maybe we all envision being the hero, and IF so, then read this book to truly encompass what that statement truly reflects. To understand the evil you will face you will need to do much more than merely read about it, and here again Aaron puts that premise right up front. It’s about SURVIVAL. It’s about your abilities, and lack of – something we all have to face as individuals if we are to truly be square with ourselves. Whether it be a lack of knowledge, poor physical conditioning, perhaps even handicaps that might prevent us from doing things that may need to be done. Look and be truthful about your abilities. Do it now. Prepare. These are all components of what you will find within these pages.
Aaron has plenty of community support for his ideas, but as he says – it’s not about ME, it’s about US. We all need to be a part of the solution. He may have a part, you may have a part, and I may have a part of that. In fact we do. As a community we can get better at teaching, training, and sharing our ideas. This book is an excellent start at the SHARING portion. Your organization SHOULD be accessing the content herein. They would if they truly cared about your safety in such an event. YOU should care enough to buy it and read it anyway, as you and you aline are responsible for your own safety. When push comes to shove, you want to be able to rely on your abilities. It’s YOUR survival.
BUY IT, READ IT. TALK ABOUT IT. SHARE IT. A lot of what’s missing in MOST programs out there is in here. Sorry, but that’s how I see it. Thank you Aaron for having the chuff to put out the truth and the knowledge that WILL save lives. This book is a milestone to that end, and I hope that people remember a few years down the line. Respect sir.
© Copyright 2018 tim boehlert