That new helpful “what to do if a crazed gunman starts shooting up your workplace” video posted last week by Houston’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security features the city’s new Washington Ave Permitting Center in a starring role, along with a cast of cleaned-up would-be plan checkers and health officials — and a bald, cold-blooded shooter wearing dark glasses and toting a menacing backpack. The gunman starts by offing a security guard and a bystander at the lobby elevators behind the receptionist’s desk, then works his way into various city departments. The video was completed 2 weeks before the recent well-publicized attack on theatergoers in Aurora, Colorado, where 12 people were killed and 58 injured. DHS’s advice for permit officers or anyone stuck in an office that finds itself suddenly transformed into a scene out of an action movie: Run. If you can’t run, hide. And if you can’t hide, fight. Here’s the scene:
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And a still showing a city employee helping coworkers out of the building’s signature exterior stair tower, in front of steel panels designed by artist Dick Wray:
If we’re lucky, it’ll take less than a generation before this sort of video develops its own cult following — like the Cold War-era “Duck and Cover” films did.
- After Recent Shooting, City Officials Reinforce Run.Hide.Fight. [Mayor’s Office]
- Video: To survive an attacker, either run, hide or fight [Houston Chronicle]
- Previously on Swamplot: That’s What They All Say: The Kinds of Things You’ll Be Hearing at the New Permit Office, Downtown Warehouse Rehab: Houston’s Next Permit Office
Video: Ready.gov
Cody says “Red Tag this!!”
*disclaimer- i do not think commenter cody is a homocidal maniac and office workplace shootings are not funny (unless leslie neilsen is involved)
I think it’s downright comical how the CoH has played into the DHS fear campaign. What a joke hardy-har-har. So, no doubt our illustrious Mayor Porker signed off on this propagandized nonsense to create an unwarranted atmosphere of fear and panic? As if the HPD is really going to come to anyone’s rescue. What a completely retarded waste of money.
Hahahaaha!
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My first thought after reading this headline was “oh my God, if anything is going to turn someone into a crazed serial killer, it’s going to be Houston permitting center and their friends in the prious patrol.” :-)
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Eh. I’d never do anything like that. Although they frustrate me, it’s only due to the fact that I believe their actions have a net negative impact on improvements, at least as far as my circumstances are concerned.
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However, as much as they frustrate me I try to look on the bright side. And that bright side is they end up driving other owners to want to get rid of their property. And when they do, I stand ready. :-)
The reason for someone to go “Postal” has always been a protential before CO shooting or be fore that term referring to people losing it. We never talk about what to do if it should happen to us or how do you reconize people who are living between existance waiting to crack? even on a real estate site this was helpful thank you, even if others will politcise or make it cynical i like to here there comments if it hit home to them, what’s there advice then?
You have much better chances of being killed in Houston by a drunk and driving illegal immigrant.
I’d say your chances of being killed in Houston at the office by someone going postal is close to zero.
I love how the shooter walks right past a 30.06 sign posted at the front door. Gun free zones are just what these perps are hoping for, which is no armed resistance. They will be able to operate with impunity at least until LE arrives and even then the damage has already been done. I agree with a previous poster saying that you’re waaay more likely to die driving to or from work than from an active shooter.
The truth is that anyone who has gone in there before ends up first going to a person, who sends them to a kiosk, which gives them a number, and then they wait for 30 minutes, then they talk to a person, who sends them back to wait for a different person, who sends them back to the original person, all the time there are 30 minute waits between it all. I have spent 3 hours in there and not gotten a permit. I did take pictures of sleeping employees behind their desks though.
So – how many workplaces in Houston allow employees with Concealed Handgun Licenses to carry their weapon at their job? These men & women could save your life one day if allowed to!
I’ll bet that there have been enough threats to the permitting office that it was no accident to be selected as the setting. Nope, wouldn’t surprise me one bit.
The video is basically accurate with good production values. However…using a fire extinguisher as a clumsy bludgeoning device seems kind of stupid if you could be spraying a perp in the face with it while three other people bludgeon him with chairs.
markd – you’re even more likely to be killed by a drunk driving US citizen.
That someone thought this video was worth making makes me embarrassed for the city.