I probably shouldn't be writing about this, but I'm gonna! Today, my totally awesome and "respectable" place of employment has issued an "Active Gunman Practice Day". On this particular day (which I was not allowed to use vacation or sick leave to get out of), we are all required to be on campus by 8:30, at which point they will shut all gates and block all entrances. At approximately 9:00, there will be actors (?) who will portray the part of active gunmen and hostages, where we must react accordingly. We were notified ahead of time that we were to bring our lunch to our offices, or be prepared to starve until further notice. During the course of the next 5-6 hours, we are to act as though there is a gunman in our building, and lock ourselves in a room (barricading the door if necessary), that gives us as little visibility as possible - no windows to the outside or to the hallway. We are expected to stay there until we are given the "all-clear" via our phones....(which I would be using to call 911 if this were really happening)
So let me summarize this up for you. I must remain locked in my office all day, preparing myself for the "pretend" shock of someone coming down the hall with the intent to kill. I may not answer my door at any cost, must eat my lunch in my office, and I (assume) practice grand bladder control. What a productive day!
Let me just be honest, though. We've been forewarned about this for a few weeks now. It has crossed my mind that someone may take this grand opportunity to get the revenge they've been waiting for. It wouldn't surprise me if in the midst of these "actors", a real person decided they could earn people's trust by pretending to the actor, with his own hidden agenda. I know there's enough drama in my building to create such a thought in a person's mind!
Anyway...here's to an unproductive day at work, and the hope of getting out alive!
So let me summarize this up for you. I must remain locked in my office all day, preparing myself for the "pretend" shock of someone coming down the hall with the intent to kill. I may not answer my door at any cost, must eat my lunch in my office, and I (assume) practice grand bladder control. What a productive day!
Let me just be honest, though. We've been forewarned about this for a few weeks now. It has crossed my mind that someone may take this grand opportunity to get the revenge they've been waiting for. It wouldn't surprise me if in the midst of these "actors", a real person decided they could earn people's trust by pretending to the actor, with his own hidden agenda. I know there's enough drama in my building to create such a thought in a person's mind!
Anyway...here's to an unproductive day at work, and the hope of getting out alive!
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Jim works at a Naval base and they had one of those things recently. They even employed the local cops and had helicopters come in and everything. They also had to put ads in the paper to warn the TINY town of Bayview (where the base is) what would be going on that day lest some Northern Idahoans take it upon themselves to "help out." Luckily, Jim works in a "secure" part of the base where the actors aren't allowed so he was barely affected. I'm sure real gunmen would respect the security rating of the various buildings they're pillaging, don't you think?