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Thu Jan 5 20:27:37 GMT 2006

They each have an air of security they lend to a room, no? they say "I can
handle anything" and "I'm prepared" but at the end of the day, they are each
dangerous pieces of specialized equipment whose actual warranted use is few
and far between.

I have had occasion to carry each of these items in my duties, and find them
all nearly useless.

If you are truly concerned about your safety, know that there are other
steps to take prior to adding part-time protection that can/will be turned
against you. If you are a target, consider professional protection or
consider increasing your protection at home.

A strong perimeter is much better than a Glock against home invasion, no? Do
you really want your strategy to be "let 'em in and then we kill 'em!!" ??

I spent too many hours watching my wife choose our carpet to just let some
common thug exsanguinate all over it. Are you ready to do that? If you
somehow beat the odds (below) and do deliver a kill shot, you do realize
he's not going to die right there, crumpled in a ball like the old westerns,
right? He's going to keep coming after you. If he's armed he will probably
squeeze off a few shots himself. You should duck. And hope his friends
aren't waiting outside...that would change things wouldn't it? (see "strong
perimeter" above)

Not to mention the difference between close quarters combat and a day at the
range. Actual combat is very loud and confusing. There is a study I don't
feel like looking up, but it studied cops involved in shootings and found
they hit the subject somewhere around 12% of the time. Trained and ready
cops. Not good numbers. Add to that the fine work of the members of this
list and you realize that out of those that get hit, somewhere around 90% of
GSWs survive. The bottom line is that until the thug has the gun to your
chest (see "strong perimeter" above) your odds aren't really that bad, even
IF he does shoot.

There are several avenues for personal safety training. I have been heavily
involved in safety training for the last 2 ERs I have worked and found the
MOAB program from PSI <http://www.personalsafetytraining.com/> to be an
excellent, effective program. (I have no business connection, further
referrals avail off-list)

I believe in the 2nd Amendment, and am a gun owner myself, but I get them
same feeling in my gut when someone says "I have a hand-gun for
self-defense" that I get when a proud administrator says "And we have a
Level-1 and MAST trousers so we can handle traumas!!"

Don't worship the machine(s).

jed peterson rn

"guns don't kill people, husbands who come home early kill people"

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