Who is a First Responder?

Michael Adebolajo after brutally murdering Lee Rigby

       There was so much running through my mind as I watched the events of the tragedy in London a few months ago. The neighborhood known as Woolwich was cursed with an unwonted knife attack in broad daylight. Although this event took place a while ago and most people have forgotten what took place it still burns me to think about this incident. I want to take a moment to focus on the question, “where were the first responders?” There is little doubt in my mind that the actions of Adebolajo were so spontaneous and quick that even if someone had wanted to interrupt his vicious attack on the Soldier Lee Rigby that there really wouldn’t have been much time. It’s one of those events that unfortunately seal the fate of the victim and the most that can be done is prevent others from becoming victims. These unplanned, unscheduled sorts of things are the reason that we as Jack of All Spades exist. We might not have been able to stop this from happening but we could have helped contain the situation better than it had been.
       The one person to stand up and take action was a Cub Scout leader, Ingrid Loyau-Kennett who jumped off the bus to help Lee Rigby believing that he was merely the victim of a car accident rather than a brutal attack. Upon learning that Lee had already died she confronted Adebolajo on why he had attacked the Soldier. She stated, “When I went up, there was this black guy with a revolver and a kitchen knife. He had what looked like butcher’s tools, and he had a little axe, to cut the bones, and two large knives, and he said, ‘Move off the body,’…So I thought, ‘OK, I don’t know what is going on here,’ and he was covered with blood. I thought I had better start talking to him before he starts attacking somebody else.”

Ingrid Loyau-Kennett confronting Adebolajo after he killed Rigby

       She realized that if she didn’t act that he might start attacking someone else. Whether she realizes it or not she is a Jill of All Spades and we’re extremely proud of her actions. These are the people that take action to prepare and prevent; these are the people we need desperately in society.
       I ache for the family of Lee Rigby who died so ignominiously. He will be remembered for the dedicated service he offered his country and in the testimonies of his friends and family.
       The scariest thing about this event and some of the more recent events are their “lone wolf” nature. They acted without a group or organization. They listened to leaders of terrorist groups spouting evil rhetoric and fiendish propagandas and acted of their own volition, never having actually joined those groups. People are becoming fed up of different ideological or social issues and acting out according to their belief systems on the subject. The more people get fed up the more you’ll see these events taking place regularly and without remorse. Guard yourself and your families because whether it is large attacks like the Boston Bombings or pinpointed assaults like the Woolwich knife attack you must be ready. These events are not going to go away anytime soon.
        This is not a message meant to make you afraid of going outside or even to inspire bold action against these groups or individuals but the truth is that these events are occurring. President George Washington once said, “Preparing for war is the most effectual way to preserve peace.” And it is that message, that mentality that we’re trying to encourage. Planning, preparing and protecting your family are not paranoid knee-jerk reactions to conspiracy theories or political movements; it is exactly as Washington said we’re “preserving peace”. The greatest product of proper preparation is peace of mind and in turn peace in your life.
       Jack of All Spades must unite and strengthen one another so that when we’re faced with the decision to act it is not a matter of “should I?” it’s a matter of “where to start?” Prepare yourself to be a first responder and act. There’s no reason why someone on that street in Woolwich couldn’t have approached that man and done more than sit at watch him walk around with blood on his hands. The first responder is not the first person in a uniform to arrive.
       Without fail the media covering any large incident will mention how long it took for the first responders to arrive. These men and women work tirelessly to protect and service and in the process save hundreds of lives on a regular basis. Around the world hundreds of thousands of law enforcement work publicly and sometimes even unnoticed to make their communities safe havens. However, their work load is often so large that they are unable to react in a timely manner. During holidays and other important events they are often working on overtime and busier than any other day. If an incident occurs they might not even be able to respond to the call for another 15 minutes. Those 15 minutes could change the lives of the people at the scene of the incident.

Carlos Arredondo (cowboy hat) helping at the Boston Marathon

       So I ask, who a first responder? Is it the fire or police officers that respond 5, 10, and 20 minutes after the incident occurs or is it the people who are present at the genesis of the incident? I believe that the gap of time that exists between genesis and the arrival of uniformed response is crucial to containing the situation and that it is the people that jump into action who are the real first responders. In the Boston Bombing case the people went into action. I watched as one person after another ran towards the smoke that morning to lend a hand. Many people helped out without knowing what was really going on. They didn’t know if there was another bomb or if there were dangerous men; they just knew people were injured.
       The best defense is one that runs for 24 hours and when police, fire and EMT services are readily present then it is up to you to fill those gaps. Are you ready? Can you patch a wound and stop the bleeding? What could you do in these situations? The first thing I think of after watching these events unfold is “What would I do?” and I begin to make plans. I write them through, come up with all the possible outcomes and my response. I even come up with decisions leading up to it and how I would have been better prepared. By thinking of and planning for these decisions I am actively making myself a better first responder. I try to read and learn as much as possible so that those tools are in my back pocket when evil strikes.
       Would you have jumped off your bus to help the Soldier Lee Rigby? Would to have confronted the disturbed man? I encourage everyone to take stock of what they would do and develop those decisions. If you are unable to confront him then work on that fear. If you are merely unable to patch wounds and stop bleeding then read up on the subject. Learn the skills necessary to be a first responder and not just a first observer.

Active Shooter

     So much can be said following the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Connecticut and I speak for all of us at Jack of All Spades when I say we’re deeply saddened by the loss of so many innocent and perfect children. We sincerely send our deepest sympathies to the families who lost so much. I had another article I was working on but due to the recent shooting in Clackamas, Oregon and at Sandy Hook I felt it important to address this subject now. In fact it was this very subject that was the final straw that led me to create Jack of All Spades. The first school shooting I remember was in 1998 at Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon. That feeling I had when I saw the news reports has compounded with every subsequent active shooter event to the point that I will not stand back and watch this happen and that’s why we created Jack of All Spades. 

     Too often in our age we see devastating events of this magnitude and I hate to think of the emotional and mental consequences that it is having on our youth. This ever present acceptance of violence is out of control and I will be honest when I say that I’m not sure what to do about it. I don’t feel that Jack of All Spades is here to fix the social viruses of our day but what we can do is be ready for these events so that we can survive them in more than just a physical capacity. It is inherent in the Human system to respond to these events as “fight or flight” and that is a perfectly acceptable way to look at these situations. Jack of All Spades are trained to fight and we’re the first to run towards the shooting but for those that are unable to or unwilling to fight we have a few steps to follow. We also understand every situation is different and so some modification might be needed for your situation but there are some important basics to remember. 

     OBSERVATION - There is no excuse for not being observant. This step applies to both fight and flight aspects of these situations. Seeing the deranged individual pull his gun gives you more time to run or fire back. Even catching him acting strangely, dressing strangely or speaking strangely can give you time to report it or get out of there. Being observant is the first step to protecting yourself and your family in any situation. 

     COMPOSURE - Staying calm during these events allows you to think clearly and make life saving decisions. For many like me we can attribute our ability to stay calm to years of training in military or law enforcement. For those who never had the privilege of serving can still find solace in preparing prior to these events. Teaching your children of the threat and helping them understand it before it happens will not only give you peace of mind but will allow you and them to react more securely during these events. 

     COVER - Finding cover to protect you is priority Jack of All Spades are always observing their surroundings and mentally logging where they would hide if needed. Remember that there is a difference behind cover and concealment. Concealment is something that only blocks the shooters view while cover will protect you from a shooter. Although cover is preferred, concealment can be just as good in these situations. If the shooter is unaware of your presence then you’re no longer a target. Choose cover wisely though because you’ll need this to prepare for the next step. 

US Army Soldiers taking cover in Iraq.

     ESCAPE - Timing your escape can be just as important as finding your cover. If you’re able to you should escape before taking cover but only if you can safely make it away from the shooter. If you’re unable to make it out without falling into harm’s way then find cover. From cover you might have a sheltered view of what is going on and if so you can start to make a plan of escape. You can wait till the shooter passes giving you enough space or concealment to make it to an exit. Waiting for him to reload is always a great option because this will increase the time you have to escape. Most importantly is to wait until the timing is right, choose the exit that is nearest you and utilize as much concealment and cover as possible on your way out. 

     If by some chance the shooter is headed your way then you must act. This is the hardest part of any active shooter event because it’ll require you have no other options. Finding a weapon nearby might be difficult but if you can find one and get ready to use it. This is something I hope that no one has to go through, especially for those without training but I see no shame is saying that if it comes down to it you must fight tooth and nail against the shooter. Bite, kick, scream and do whatever it takes to stop the shooter at this point. 

     RECOUPING - There is no shame in coming out of these events in utter shock and devastation. To many times we try to be tough and struggle through it on our own. These events need to be shared and worked through with friends and family. Seek out councilors if needed but understand above all that you did everything you could have done because you were prepared. 

     For us at Jack of All Spades we recoup in the same manner we always do following these shootings; we train harder. That’s what we’ve done, that’s what we’ll always do when trouble knocks at our door. With talk stirring of gun control and more legislation I worry for a possible future where the only people that have guns are the criminals. I fear that the government will submit to the anti-gun protests and pass greater restrictions. I never wanted Jack of All Spades to become political and I never intend to but what is extremely important for all of us to do is to not create panic laws following these events. We don’t need to jump into more guns laws, or school security, or even personality screenings and such. We need to approach this with a clear mind. 

     Jack of All Spades believes that the gun is a tool in the same way that a hammer or a car is a tool. Each item can be used in various ways to assist the user and make simple jobs easier but in the wrong hands these tools can become deadly. We support weapon regulation as long as it doesn’t infringe on the right for legal citizens to own and operate them. Following these events there are always cries to tighten the ability to buy weapons; specifically guns. 

     To think that regulating guns is sufficient to stop such evil is like believing that by removing the gun, you’re also removing the “crazy” from the shooter. A person intent on harming others is going to find a way to harm whether he has a gun or not. What is necessary to understand is that no matter what we do, no matter how much we regulate, legislate or control we cannot prevent these tragic events from happening; these people will always find a way. Jack of All Spades was designed to prevent these events, not through legislation or regulations but through control of the situation as it happens. Imagine a world where people stand up for themselves and they stop these sorts of things from happening. How many lives could we save if even one person stood up and fired back? I don’t expect the world to carry guns and shoot blindly at the attacker but I do expect people to be prepared to fight or fly if necessary. 

     Most importantly is to be prepared at all times. We live by Exercito ab Ara which is Latin for “train hard to protect/shield”. That is what the Jack of All Spades stands for and that’s what we intend to do. Join us in our fight against evil in our day and act so you’re not acted upon!