Got Me to Thinking, Seriously

[Pops1911]

Sigmadog's thread got me to thinking. The shooting in Virginia today was was a "hello!" moment for me. I need the group's thinking and input with this. I work in a hospital and every where on the property is a no firearms zone. I want to consistently carry to work. I have a small locked "safe" that is attached underneath my truck seat with a steel cable. Yeah, its one of those. I have been nervous with the idea of leaving my side arm locked up in my vehicle in the parking lot all day. If I carry on duty and get discovered I will be canned [or worse] on the spot. Should something go terribly south, so to speak, I would want to get to my firearm in the truck. I imagine others find themselves in this same predicament at work. How do others carry consistently around this scenario? Especially in the Big City. This old guy would appreciate any input. Thanks.

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[Rickenbacher39]

I am retired from radiology.
I carry (carried) a pistol to work everyday and stopped at security on the way in.
They put it in their safe and when I left after shift I retrieved it. I have never left a weapon in a vehicle.
True, I couldn't get to it during work hours but if there would have been an active shooter in the hospital
the last thing I would be doing is running around the halls trying to make it to the security office or my truck.
If I actually made it to my truck I sure wouldn't grab my gun and go back in. I'm too good looking to be a hero.
Every hospital I worked in had their own security force plus city police present, especially in and around the ER.
At times I could see a half dozen officers in the halls. As goofy as it got in the ER area I never felt unsafe.
.............and I interned at Harborview so that should give you an idea of what kind of nuthouse it could become.

Just my opinion which is worth even less than you paid for it....................

 

[Camelfilter]

@Pops1911 what you are proposing, I do each and every single day.

Not to "get to my gun" should an active shooter situation happen (has been a few where I work so far), as that would be a really really bad idea-unless you are also a LEO, AND known & uniformed as such.

I do what you propose simply out of circumstance, working at a "gun free zone". When I'm off shift, I'm armed again. That is the only reason.

Edit, adding: my employee parking situation is "relatively safe". Smash and grabs do occur, when folks leave stuff of assumed value in plain view, hence sidearm is "reasonably" secure. Our cabled lockbox/safe is covered & my windows are tinted. Can not be seen by looking in the windows, even if they weren't tinted. Vehicle has 2 alarm systems (1 notifies me via text of alarm), and lot is staff only, patrolled and has cameras.

 

[Alexx1401]

Sigmadog's thread got me to thinking. The shooting in Virginia today was was a "hello!" moment for me. I need the group's thinking and input with this. I work in a hospital and every where on the property is a no firearms zone. I want to consistently carry to work. I have a small locked "safe" that is attached underneath my truck seat with a steel cable. Yeah, its one of those. I have been nervous with the idea of leaving my side arm locked up in my vehicle in the parking lot all day. If I carry on duty and get discovered I will be canned [or worse] on the spot. Should something go terribly south, so to speak, I would want to get to my firearm in the truck. I imagine others find themselves in this same predicament at work. How do others carry consistently around this scenario? Especially in the Big City. This old guy would appreciate any input. Thanks.

Do they run you through a metal detector coming in? If yes, then you're out of luck.
If not then is there more chance in your mind that you may need a gun than someone is going to find out you have one?
How are they going to find out? Can you manage to carry and not tell someone? It is surprising how many people are un able to carry and not tell people. Can you carry and not drop it on the floor or set it off playing with it?
If you have some medical emergency at work and they find it is there some state law making it a crime? If so you have to decide which one you want to bet on. That you are going to need the gun or have something like a heart attack and get found out. Simple choices.

 

[Joe13]

I carry a knife and a strong will to survive - other then that, no guns at my work.

Chances an active shooter will be in the building are incredibly smaller then my family suffering from me not having a job...



If I absolutely HAD to carry, I'd get one of those NAA .22mag mini revolvers.

 

[No_Regerts]

I'm defiant by nature, so I would find a way. Especially if its policy and not rule of law.

I'm lucky that I work in an armed profession. Especially as a 2A proponent. I come to work with a smile and my personal weapon in plain view. Coworkers just go about their business. I walk into my office and open my safe, retrieve my issued pistol and lock up my personal til I go home. I bought a duplicate of my duty weapon so I wouldn't have to change holsters.

 

[L84Cabo]

Concealed means concealed. If it's only a work policy and not a law, I would probably carry. I'd make absolutely sure I was able to keep it concealed and that I wasn't printing. I wouldn't tell a soul...not your best friend at work, not anyone. But you have to be ok with losing your job if you're caught. And recognize that it's something that could follow you and prevent you from getting hired elsewhere. The other side of this is that a job won't matter much to you if you're dead. I realize this is not an easy decision.

 

[Pops1911]

Hey thanks everyone. I appreciate your feedback. I am probably overthinking this one. LOL Yet it is still nice to hear the forum's collective wisdom on this issue. I do carry a knife at work and as one other poster said..I too have a strong will to survive even as an old dawg. Great food for thought.

 

[etrain16]

I would agree with the above that going to your car to retrieve a gun, then re-enter an active shooter situation is not going to go well for you since you're not an LEO. As CHL holders, we're not carrying to do the job of the police. We carry to protect ourselves, our family and potentially others around us from immediate, imminent threats. Going to retrieve a gun from a car hundreds of yards or more away, only to return could potentially be used against you since you had already escaped the threat, only to choose to return.

I also agree with the above - unless it is specifically prohibited by law, you're under no legal threat if you are outed. Worst case is loss of a job. But consider the alternative - trapped, just like those congressmen - they were pinned down, couldn't make an escape and couldn't engage the shooter. The only thing that stopped the bad guy with the gun was two good guys with guns - on their person. I am quite certain people already carry in that hospital, and have been all along. 99% or better of the average public will never notice, so long as you stay concealed.

So weigh what is the greater risk - losing your job or losing your life. Do you believe, if put in a similar situation as what happened yesterday, where there is no escape route, would you not trade everything you have, at that moment, to carry a gun for your protection?

It is very much possible to conceal and never be seen, if you do it properly. The choice, of course is a very individual one, and people must weigh any potential risk for themselves.

 

[turbo_vanner]

If someone shows up at my work with a gun I would most likely run like hell. Not worth the daily risks/hassles/stress for me at least.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Fired by one
Judged by twelve
Carried by six

UMMV

 

[Misteramax]

Employers definitely need to rethink active shooter scenarios. They need to let employees carry. They need to have sop's in place like locking ones self with others in a location with a gun at ready. Once le clears the place, they can identify themselves verbally and clearly near the location.

 

[turbo_vanner]

Employers definitely need to rethink active shooter scenarios. They need to let employees carry. They need to have sop's in place like locking ones self with others in a location with a gun at ready. Once le clears the place, they can identify themselves verbally and clearly near the location.

While I agree, that could cause some major HR headaches with respect to people feeling safe at their work environment knowing there are guns present. And while I believe thats the offended parties problem to deal with, good luck arguing with an HR department.

An SOP for an active shooter scenario is a very good idea, regardless if people are armed. Just presenting the information and possibilities might make some people more comfortable with familiar/trusted faces carrying guns around them.

 

[Alexx1401]

It is very much possible to conceal and never be seen, if you do it properly. The choice, of course is a very individual one, and people must weigh any potential risk for themselves.

It is dead simple with the right gun. Over many decades of work the only problem with this I have ever seen is people (always men) who just can't go the day and not tell others they have a gun. As mentioned the NAA is a great gun for this and mine has been used this way a few times over the years. I of course always have something in the car. It would not be found at a causal break in. It also would be worthless in an active shooter scenario. That's not what that ones for. The car is in case I get stuck in a break out of some kind away from home. For deep carry my only fear has been being trapped and waiting for the good guys. Seen too many times how that works. Good guys set up camp out front and wait. If I can get to an exit, i'm gone. Sorry about the ones left behind but I am not going back in. I also will not be one hiding on the other side of a door empty handed waiting for dobad to come in and shoot me. It is amazing how these happen. I always tell people if nothing else grab a damn fire extinguisher or two. When he walks in let him have it in the face with one while another is hitting him in the head. In these workplace and college shooting people huddle in a corner while they are shot one at a time. I'm sure it's never going to happen to me. Probably more chance of being hit by lightning. Still just refuse to be empty handed if it happens.

 

[Misteramax]

While I agree, that could cause some major HR headaches with respect to people feeling safe at their work environment knowing there are guns present. And while I believe thats the offended parties problem to deal with, good luck arguing with an HR department.

An SOP for an active shooter scenario is a very good idea, regardless if people are armed. Just presenting the information and possibilities might make some people more comfortable with familiar/trusted faces carrying guns around them.

Yes, I'm very familiar with the mind set of those types. Lol.

I just wonder, if or when shootings become so abundant, that the antis are going to realize their killing people with their ideology.

 

[Alexx1401]

Employers definitely need to rethink active shooter scenarios. They need to let employees carry. They need to have sop's in place like locking ones self with others in a location with a gun at ready. Once le clears the place, they can identify themselves verbally and clearly near the location.

As long as we have the "legal system" we have now and lawyers that will NEVER happen. It's just the way it is.

 

[Alexx1401]

Yes, I'm very familiar with the mind set of those types. Lol.

I just wonder, if or when shootings become so abundant, that the antis are going to realize their killing people with their ideology.

The people who make laws are protected so they don't care. The people who make laws are mostly not as stupid as they pretend. They can see guns are waaaayyyy down the ladder on how people die. It has ZERO to do with saving lives. It's about control. Now the rubes who vote for these people are just that, rubes. Until we can get more gun owners to vote and or wake up more rubes we lose. Every shooting just makes rubes and law makers say this is why we need laws, more laws. Those making the laws are living safely protected by guns. Again the gun owners have only themselves to blame for this. They fight each other and or don't vote. Then they get just what they deserve and complain.

 

[rick benjamin]

Pops;
I worked for a company that forbade weapons. Good pay.
My gun is worn inside waistband, until I must go where it can't, shouldn't.
I also have a lock box, cabled to the car seat frame.
My thinking, lethal force is but one layer of self defense.
I also carry pepper gel.
But, pepper may not put the perp down!
I have some martial arts.
But, perp may beat my axx!
Layers, think of another layer.
Situational awareness, retreat...


Can't fix everything...
I don't know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future...

 

[Pops1911]

Very helpful thread everyone. I am thinking a small pocket rocket might be an acceptable carry in my setting. Thanks for all the great input.

 

[Brutus57]

Assess the threat.....when I lived on an island my EDC lived in my truck while at work, ummm mostly.

When traveling off island it lived IWB and another concealed "pistol" of considerably more lethality came along for the ride.
Here in Kommefornia for likely another 6-8 months I am a target, but I'd be throwing a glove or a bat
and charging. I would not be running for a dugout.

Hopefully these bloody politicians now know what the average Joe public has to think about. You want to ban something......ban internet threats.

Brutus out.