Washington Post Gives Tips For Staying Safe When Under Sniper Attack

Washington Post ^ | October 16, 2002 | Washington Post staff writer

[pttttt]

___ Tips for Staying Safe ___

Police yesterday offered these tips for protection against sniper-style shootings:

• While outside, try to keep moving. A moving target is more difficult to hit than one that is standing still.

• If you must remain in one place in an area where you feel vulnerable, select the darkest part of the area to sit or stand in.

• When moving outside, walk briskly in a zigzag pattern.

• If you must stand outside, try to keep some type of protective cover between yourself and any open areas where a sniper might be located. For example, if you are fueling your car, stand between your vehicle and the gas pump and bend your knees to lower your profile.

• If you are fired on in an open area, drop to the ground and roll away from where you were standing.

Look for the closest protective cover and run toward it in short, zigzag dashes.

• Be constantly aware of your surroundings while outside. Note any suspicious vehicles or activities, move away from them and report them to the police.

• Remember that a sniper with the right equipment can shoot accurately from about 500 yards away, the equivalent of five football fields.

[pttttt]

Whatta community-minded paper. This is an excerpt from the larger Military Aircraft Augment Police etc. article about the RC-7. It is not the full article since the Post doesn't like that.

Puts me in mind of that movie The In-Laws: "serpentine, serpentine...".

They could also say watch it when pumping gas and never load packages into your car. I wonder where they got the 500 yard range thing from. I didn't think any of them were from that far and the police should have some idea from terminal ballistics.

[Zathras]

How about shooting back?

[pttttt]

Funny, the Washington Post didn't think of that one.

[mystery-ak]

tell/teach everyone to walk on their hands....that way the most they could lose is a foot.....but I like the idea of firing back.

[xm177e2]

I wonder where they got the 500 yard range thing from

That's the effective range of an M16/AR-15

[DugwayDuke]

Considering the fac that this is taking place in Washington, they missed the obvious.

"Don't worry about a thing. This guy goes for head shots and your's is in a safe place (up your ...)."

[Licensed-To-Carry]

And whatever you do, don't be third on a match.

[El Gato]

If you are fired on in an open area, drop to the ground and roll away from where you were standing.

Assuming you aren't already dead of course. If you aren't dead, then rolling away might draw attention to that fact and earn you another shot, at least it usually would, but maybe not with these guys, who have never fired more than one shot, even in the cases where their victim survivied or they missed entirely.

Best bet would be to try to drop behind something, even something as small as a curb, or into a depression.

[El Gato]

Remember that a sniper with the right equipment can shoot accurately from about 500 yards away, the equivalent of five football fields.

I guess it depends on the definition of the "Right equipment". A .50 BMG rifle is good to much longer range than that, if the shooter is too.

[BuddhaBoy]

Where is the part about grabbing the closest Liberal, and placing them between you and the shooter?

Common sense, people!

[Dog Gone]

• If you are fired on in an open area, drop to the ground and roll away from where you were standing.

Assuming you aren't looking at a huge hole in your chest and your skull is still intact, you need to look quickly to see who fired at you, because the dude isn't going to fire a second shot.

[blackdog]

Reminds me of that John Cleese skit on defending yourself when attacked by a would be attacker who comes at you with raspberries. He pulls out a gun and shoots him......

[AAABEST]

This garbage was actually in a major newspaper?

Remember when Jaws came out and they came up with all these 12 step shark survival courses?

Nation of frightened pansies who never had any danger in their lives. That's how we wound up with "Homeland Security".

I'm starting to loath my countrymen.

[blackdog]

Not to sound nit picky, but how exactly can one drop to the ground and roll toward where they are standing? I would assume dropping to the ground and rolling in any direction would be away from where you were standing. I'm a real conformist to directions, especially from a newspaper offering survival tactics. Maybe the Post can have a guest columnist from Soldier Of Fortune? Cool!

[philetus]

Police yesterday offered these tips for protection against sniper-style shootings:

1.If your still alive, go on about your business.
2.See #1

[blackdog]

Now I know who the architects were for those "Duck and Cover" drills I did in case of a nuclear bomb during grade school. The Post once again proves it's worth.

[PoorMuttly]

Since you don't hear the one that kills you...
...Muttly suggest you roll on the ground first.

Also...don't ever be armed. That's only for police, criminals, rich guys, and politicians' bodyguards. Hmmmm...familiar. Nah...that was Germany and Russia.