Nats Game Shooting

The All-American Game, was marred over the weekend and left all participants - players, coaches, stadium staff, and spectators shook with the realization that even our national past time is not immune to the violence that plagues us today. Saturday night was an equalizer emphasizing that no one can stop a bullet as everyone was taking cover. Fear filled the venue as throngs tried to stay clear of the bullets they heard being fired.

3 Shot, None Fatal, Nationals - Padres Games

(photo credit: apnews.com)

Fortunately, no one was killed, but three individuals were harmed. Unbeknownst to the patrons inside the stadium, the shooting took place outside the stadium.  We sigh with relief to hear outcomes like these, but our minds still dwell on the incident. Many people felt unprotected and unable to do much more than hide if they could find a place to do so.

Nationals Manager, Davey Martinez, addressed the press after the incident and was visibly shaken, as he told reporters, "You don't ever think it's gonna happen and then it does."

 Protection - Large Capacity Soft Target Venues

• Arenas
• Churches
• Conference Centers
• Hotels
• Malls
• Offices
• Restaurants
• Schools
• Stadiums
• Theaters
• Warehouses

(photo credit: nbcsandiego.com)

Have you ever been to a large capacity venue? Did you know you are considered a soft target? A soft target is defined as a person or thing that is relatively unprotected or vulnerable. What would you do if shooting broke out? What you would do if a fire broke out? Do you feel you know how to react to one better than the other? Would you know what to do with a fire extinguisher? Would you know what to with an emergency response shield?

Active Shooter in a Large Gathering

Some large capacity venues have made the decision to prepare for the possibility of an active shooter.

NYPD presence was much more noticeable at the Yankee game that proceeding the shooting at the Nationals Stadium. Spectrum News 1 reported that, "In response to that shooting, the NYPD told NY1 it had a complex security plan in place for Sunday night’s game between the Yankees and the Red Sox in the Bronx, which included a plan in the event of an active shooter. The NYPD also said the plan involved officers who were intimately familiar with the grounds, the interior layout and the security team." 

52 Hardwire ERS have been in Shorebirds Stadium in Salisbury, MD for over 5 years. They have given instructions to their staff on how to use emergency response shields. Hardwire recommends a shield for every fire extinguisher you have in your facility. Most regulations mandate a fire extinguisher every 150 feet for best accessibility (depending on the state this number can fluctuate). If ERS becomes as common and understood as a fire extinguisher, then individuals who find themselves in a life threatening scenario could have viable option for defense beyond hiding. Empowering a person is one more tool to help combat the eminent threat of an active shooter.

About Emergency Response Shields

Hardwire ERS are designed to be easy to locate and at the ready in the event of an active shooter situation—providing critical, military-trusted protection when escape is not an option.

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featured image photo credit al.com