Category: Health

How to survive an active shooter

Shootings in the United States have resulted in numerous casualties across diverse demographics. An active shooter poses a significant threat, necessitating preparedness. The recommended response includes three strategies: RUN to safety, HIDE if escape is impossible, and FIGHT as a last resort. Prioritizing personal and collective safety is crucial.

updated April 18, 2025

It has been almost three years since I wrote this post, but the situation has not changed. Shootings still happen at schools, universities, homes, and businesses regularly. And our communities seem powerless to stop them.

Within the past year there have been shootings causing injuries and fatalities in a church, a grocery, an elementary school, a holiday celebration, and a medical office.

Among the dead are employees, customers, grade school age children, teachers, physicians, a receptionist, a patient and spouse.

Ethnically they were Caucasian, Black, Asian, and Hispanic. Men and women, boys and girls. And these are just the ones that I remember reading about.

What is an active shooter?

An active shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area, 

Active Shooter Resources-FBI

We are all at risk. Although we trust the police to repond and rush to our aid, they won’t save everyone. We must know what to do to save ourselves and those around us.

Safety professionals offer these guidelines that we should learn and remember. In the panic of the moment it will be difficult to think through a rational plan to survive. Be prepared every day; that may be the day you need it.

How to survive

RUN

  1. Wherever you are, always know where the exits are, preferably ones you can easily and quickly reach; locate at least 2 if possible in case one becomes inaccessible.  
  2. Your first response to a threat should be escape; run to the nearest exit as soon as safely possible; go, even if others are not willing to go with you.
  3. Leave your stuff behind. Run with empty hands up and visible.
  4. Listen to police and answer their questions, try to give them accurate information about what is happening. Get away to a safe place and stay out of the responders’ way.

HIDE

  1. If escape is not possible, then hide, preferably in a locked room. Push heavy furniture against the door.
  2. Silence your cell phone when hiding. If you can, call 911 but don’t speak if you might be heard by the shooter; just leave the line open so the dispatcher can hear.

FIGHT

  1. If neither escape or hiding is possible, then engage the shooter, try to disable the person with the gun.
  2. If you’ve been hiding, make a plan to defend yourself. If you are with other people, work together.
  3. Aim to control the weapon; work together to disable the shooter with anything you can use as a weapon. Attack the shooter verbally, yelling.

A coordinated ambush can incapacitate the attacker. You are fighting for your life-don’t fight fair.

Active Shooter Resources-FBI

This video from the FBI website graphically shows what to do when confronted with an active shooter situation, then details each step. Well worth watching.

Active Shooter Booklet from Homeland Security Download

Exploring the HEART of health and safety

Funerals for two physician victims of shootings happened in my city. We need action to end this vicious cycle of violence that has become another pandemic.

Note that these guidelines should coordinate with protocols in place at your school, church, or workplace. Your primary goal should always be your own safety, and that of others if possible.

photos of 2 men and 2 women who were victims of a mass shooting

Exploring the HEART of Health

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Dr Aletha

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How Faith Shapes Better Relationships and Well-being

In this post I review two books by two pastors that may provoke changes in the way you think about God and other people. Author John Pavlovitz critiques evangelical self-centeredness, advocating for genuine love and compassion. Meanwhile, Rusty George highlights the importance of community in spiritual growth and support. Both authors encourage deeper connections and a more empathetic approach to life.

updated March 5, 2025

What is a good life? An article in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, answered it this way.

“everyone seeks a good life. Health is an essential component, but a good life also involves productive work, emotional and spiritual well-being, supportive social relationships, and a clean and safe environment. “

The Good Life-Working Together to Promote Opportunity and Improve Population Health and Well-being JAMA, April 26, 2016

How faith and community make us better humans

In these books , two pastor authors make a case for Christians to follow Jesus and his teachings more authentically and intentionally, as individuals and with each other . By doing so, we can have more satisfactory relationships while nurturing our own emotional and spiritual well-being.

In If God is Love, Don’t be a Jerk, John Pavlovitz looks at how we act toward others. In Better Together Rusty George considers how we see ourselves. I think they end up at the same place- a good life as better humans.

If God is Love, Don’t Be a Jerk :Finding a Faith That Makes Us Better Humans

by John Pavlovitz

I was intrigued by the title of John Pavlovitz’s book, If God Is Love, Don’t Be a Jerk. A book about love sounded innocent enough. Many Christian living books want to make us feel better about ourselves. Not this one, rather this book’s message may leave you feeling worse about yourself.

Most of us don’t want to be “jerks”, we want to be “better humans.” John challenges us to examine our assumptions about God, Jesus, church, and love- especially love for those who look, think, believe, and behave differently from us. In his view, most in the evangelical, conservative Christian world act like jerks.

John spares no group or dogma; he calls out racism, homophobia, misogyny, nationalism, and Trumpism. He names the “greatest sin of the American evangelical church”-parochial self-centered existence.

John deplores self-righteousness while sounding self-righteous himself at times. He admits he is angry but suggests it is a righteous anger on behalf of those who are marginalized, oppressed, and discriminated against.

John shares his own rocky faith journey which led him away from traditional mainstream Christianity into a belief system that interprets the Bible more liberally and emphasizes strong commitment to social justice issues.   

Initially I was irked by his attitude but eventually came to recognize his anguish over what he sees as the failings of the Church and individual Christians-lack of genuine love. The book’s tone changes as he concludes by pleading with us to be more tender hearted, empathetic, merciful-in other words more like Jesus.

I wished he had said more of this at the beginning, as some of his earlier chapters were strong enough in their rebuke to turn away the very people who most need to read them. But if readers are willing to stick with him, and hear his heart as well as his head, it might cause a revolution in the Church as well as the nation and the world.

John Pavlovitz’s words may not change your mind but may move your heart if you are open and willing.

Listen to an Audible sample here.

You can also find John at his website

JOHN PAVLOVITZ- Stuff That Needs To Be Said

Better Together: Discover the Power of Community

By Rusty George

Whether you are an introvert, extrovert, or somewhere in-between, Rusty’s book Better Together: Discover the Power of Community will have something that speaks to your heart.

Rusty George is the Lead Pastor of RLC-Real Life Church in Valencia California. The church, founded 15 years ago, has now grown to 6000 attendees over three campuses.

Drawing on his personal experience as an introvert, husband, and father of two daughters, as well as his experience as a youth pastor and lead pastor, he makes a case for living, worshiping, and serving in community; we cannot make it alone he teaches. In a non-threatening, easy going style, he encourages us to exchange a “selfie” existence to partnering with others.

Rusty outlines three major benefits of community life- to connect with God, overcome weaknesses, and leave a legacy- by drawing  from The Bible, especially the Psalms, Hebrews, James, and Revelation.

He explains how major Bible characters-Nehemiah, John, Esther, David, and especially Jesus-lived by these principles.

Rusty admits his mistakes trying to do life apart from community and shares the times where his attempts to overcome his introversion were successful.

“In every instance where I wanted to run from, I decided to run toward community. “

Throughout the book he sprinkles quotes from noted Christian authors-C.S. Lewis, Eugene Peterson, Tony Campolo, Max Lucado, and Dallas Willard.

At the end of each of the twelve chapters are discussion questions suitable for a class or small group study. Notes and references for each chapter appear at the book’s end.

In Better Together, Rusty George hopes you will learn to  

“Let people in on your “impossible” dream. They just might help you achieve it.”

Learn more about Rusty at

Pastor Rusty George

exploring the HEART of spiritual health

The book links are affiliate links and if you shop through them this blog receives a small commission used to fund blog fees (not to make me rich.)

TOP REVIEWER

I received complimentary digital copies of these books from NetGalley in exchange for writing a review.

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Dr Aletha