This time Virginia Beach 11 more

[Rev. Rye]

Well, since the party that controls two-and-a-half of the three branches of the government has made abundantly clear that they have no interest in stopping the tide of mass shootings, I’d like to share a solution I recently read about that could potentially help in an active shooter situation:

Instead of arming teachers, keep fire extinguishers in every classroom.

“An everyday 5-pound dry powder fire extinguisher will shoot a high-speed stream of attacker slowing or stopping (depending on how close) thick powder for 12-20 feet that will cover an area many times larger than pepper spray and you need not be a good shot as with a firearm that could send misses through classroom walls.”

“The effect is it can flat out stop an attacker as he tries to clean his face and clear breathing of a massive contamination of powder and the diversion may help force him to change his murderous plans and maybe give defenders the time and opportunity to attack him. And there is nearly no if any collateral harm to people or damage to the building.”

“School administrators and staff must actively plan for and aggressively defend the children in their charge and the fire extinguisher and some simple old fashion barricading can help.”

Note: in addition to being under pressure, the contents of said extinguishers are damn cold, and potentially harmful (this may seem inhumane, but bear in mind that most school shooters off themselves anyway.) And if the shooter isn’t knocked out by such a thing, well, it can be used as a club to finish the deed.

Why, yes, it does suck that we have to resort to schemes like this and aren’t actually allowed to use gun control to stop it at the root. But this is the world we live in.

The problem with the "good guy with a gun" scenario is good guys don't do John Wick-level prep. If they fire at all* they may not be aiming, just hoping to get a shot off to deter the shooter, something that hasn't been proven effective.

As for fire extinguishers:

1. Realize there's an incident happening.
2. Locate fire extinguisher.
3. Dismount it from wall hook.
4. Find safety pin.
5. Pull safety pin.
6. Locate shooter.
7. Aim nozzle at shooter.
8. Fire extinguisher.
9. Hope.

Meanwhile, shooter, realizing there is a threat and already operating his weapon, shoots person with extinguisher.

*There have been instances of rent-a-cops not engaging shooters in the last year.

Good point. That said, I think a good part of how that worked also hinged on using the door for a choke hold. Getting the shooter in that position may be more difficult than I thought at first.