A third agent then shot and killed the shooter. Your first thought should be that if such violence can occur in a federal building, it can occur anywhere. What plans have you made to protect yourself in your work place?
Some folks are blessed with being able to work in offices and businesses that allow you to be armed. However, just being armed is not enough to guarantee your protection. A smart person will continually remind himself to stay alert for potentially dangerous situations. He will have studied his surroundings to determine where the best cover is located and it's also a great idea to keep in mind where the closest exits are. Do you have a plan for dealing with arguments that seem about to get out of hand?
Many others are prohibited from carrying their defensive handgun at their place of business. In addition to being aware and knowing the closest cover and exits, these folks need to look about them and identify those objects that can be used as defensive tools should the need arise. You may not be able to carry a gun at work but few would complain about one having a walking cane near his desk. A few hours with a cane-fighting instructor may be the difference between one being a survivor instead of a victim.
Just as employees meet to discuss the proper response should a fire break out, employees ought to also formulate plans for dealing with a shooting, or potential criminal attack. It would also be a great idea to have training in ways to verbally diffuse an argument. Regular office safety meetings should be held to identify the most likely problems and discussions held on how to deal with them. Ideally, these discussions would be sponsored by management. But, if management is not interested in such discussions, they make good topics for coffee breaks.
Even at work, you are responsible for your own safety. Are you doing something about it?
