Run, Hide, Fight: Your Active Shooter Survival Guide
Description
FBI - Run Hide Fight
Your survival might depend on three simple words: Run. Hide. Fight. These aren't just recommendations—they're a framework developed by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security that could save your life during an active shooter situation.
With active shooter incidents occurring weekly across America in public spaces—schools, malls, workplaces, concerts—knowing how to respond isn't paranoia; it's practical preparation. The good news? When people act decisively, survival rates climb to 70-80%. This episode breaks down exactly what to do in those critical moments when seconds matter most.
We explore each step of the protocol in detail: running as your first and best option (leave everything behind and move with purpose); hiding strategically (not just cowering, but barricading and positioning yourself tactically); and fighting as a last resort (using improvised weapons and absolute commitment). Through personal experiences from my law enforcement background and FBI training scenarios, I share practical insights you won't find in theoretical discussions.
Beyond the protocol itself, we tackle the confusing landscape of mass shooting definitions. From the FBI's intent-focused approach to the Gun Violence Archive's victim threshold of four or more people, these varying definitions create vastly different statistics—from 48 incidents to over 300 in the same timeframe. Understanding these distinctions helps cut through media confusion while keeping focus on what matters: your response remains the same regardless of definition.
This is the most important episode I've ever recorded. Please watch the FBI training videos linked in the show notes, carry basic trauma supplies like tourniquets, and share this information widely. Taking just minutes to mentally map escape routes or prepare a simple first aid kit isn't living in fear—it's ensuring you have every chance to go home at the end of the day. Because you deserve that chance.
Have a question, suggestion or comment? Please email me at practicalpreppodcast@gmail.com. I will not sell your email address and I will personally respond to you.