KDG
09-19-07, 08:24
It was 1:30 am on Sunday night, I had just fallen asleep for the night and the phone rang. It was the alarm company calling saying the alarm went off where I work.
Many such alarm calls are false, due to electronics, wind, critters or birds wandering around inside at night. But this particular incident started with a door on one end of the building, with 10 seconds later another zone alarm, then a few seconds another zone – as in someone or something walking around in the building.
Since I am the manager I am required to respond, check out the building, enter it, make sure it is clear and reset the alarm. This is a 24000 sq ft building.
Over the years I have had to do this on several occasions.
Most of the time alone. While most of these alarm calls in the past have proven to be false you never know what to expect. Many years ago, in the late 70’s an employee was killed responding to an alarm call, this is way before I ever worked for this company. That particular location was in a very rough area and was shut down a few years later.
I got dressed and thought about what to bring with me.
Surefire flashlight, pocket, knife – the usual stuff.
I really really really wanted to bring the AR with the 2 - 30 round banded together mags filled with 75 gr tap ammo. Nothing would have made me more confident then having 56 rounds of ammo against whatever I would have encountered. I couldn’t even imagine the look on a BD’s face when being faced with that kind of firepower being presented and the amount of suppress fire or hit capability able to be delivered if needed.
In my mind it is the perfect choice, along with a backup hand gun. I don’t own a shotgun, so that wasn’t an option.
However, I didn’t bring it. For one if the cops responded and saw me getting out of my car with an AR it may not have gone down to well or if they showed up after I entered the building and saw me walking around with a rifle even my own company would not have been to pleased. May even cost me my job.
So I just shoved my newly purchased 45 in my belt, with one extra mag. I have now fired several hundred rounds though it with perfect function, both right and left handed and with both mags. I was very confident it would serve me well, not jam when needed, and go bang if I pulled the trigger. I love the 45 round anyway. Carried condition 1, the safety has proved to be very positive and I like the grip safety also, something my Detonics does not have and was a little less secure carrying that one cocked and locked with only one level of safety.
Since this is a business open to the general public, I have been robbed at gunpoint on a few different occasions. We are not allowed to have firearms at work, so confronting an armed robber isn’t much of an option. One time a guy came in right at closing and unloaded several rounds before announcing the robbery and fired another shot when the safe wasn’t being opened fast enough – he was pretty strung out on crack or whatever. Another time was threatened to have head blown off if couldn’t open the inner safe where the bulk of the cash is which can only be opened by an armored car service. Only small amount of petty cash is available. He was told to do whatever he had to cause “we ain’t getting into that safe” thankfully he believed it and left.
I always wondered how I would react under stress. Years ago my now X wife was held up at her small business. She remained cool and calm. Had no idea how I would have reacted. But it tuned out in the times I went through it, I remained calm too, have no idea why, just turned out like that.
Just saying that I am fairly confident I will not panic if I ended up encountering someone armed due to past experience. As a civy that never gets exposed to combat/leo situations hard to know how one would react.
But also goes to show, us ‘regular guys’ do get into situations where we need to know what to do, handle weapons, and have some skills needed to defend ourselves and am glad the professional trainers understand this and offer proper training. We want to learn for the same reasons the pros do.
Many people just don’t understand why a civilian wants to own and be proficient with firearms let alone basic self defense.
The questions are.
I can hit pretty much anything I aim at but could I hit someone firing back at me under that kind of stress without time to aim?
Could I make a hit in an odd position?
How to react when startled if someone gets behind you?
Most likely ‘not very well’ since I have had no formal training or have ever competed.
I can fully understand how competition would build confidence and skills in honing fast and accurate hits as well as attending classes for proper form and mindset.
Anyway to end this ridiculously long story, a co worker also responded and was already there when I arrived, he was sitting in his car. He wouldn’t enter the building alone ( smart move) and called the cops to come and escort him ( also smart move) I was just going to go in alone as I usually do ( not such a smart move).
One cop arrived, the 3 of us went in…all armed ( we both have carry permits ) although he didn’t know we were carrying. We went through every room, bathrooms, backrooms ect…. All was clear.
Afterwards we were talking and he said we did good but “did you look up? “. The answer was no. He pointed out many breakins come from the roof and guys hide out in the rafters. Another lesson learned.
How many of you guys have had to respond to your businesses from an alarm call and would you have brought your M4 with you?
Ken
Many such alarm calls are false, due to electronics, wind, critters or birds wandering around inside at night. But this particular incident started with a door on one end of the building, with 10 seconds later another zone alarm, then a few seconds another zone – as in someone or something walking around in the building.
Since I am the manager I am required to respond, check out the building, enter it, make sure it is clear and reset the alarm. This is a 24000 sq ft building.
Over the years I have had to do this on several occasions.
Most of the time alone. While most of these alarm calls in the past have proven to be false you never know what to expect. Many years ago, in the late 70’s an employee was killed responding to an alarm call, this is way before I ever worked for this company. That particular location was in a very rough area and was shut down a few years later.
I got dressed and thought about what to bring with me.
Surefire flashlight, pocket, knife – the usual stuff.
I really really really wanted to bring the AR with the 2 - 30 round banded together mags filled with 75 gr tap ammo. Nothing would have made me more confident then having 56 rounds of ammo against whatever I would have encountered. I couldn’t even imagine the look on a BD’s face when being faced with that kind of firepower being presented and the amount of suppress fire or hit capability able to be delivered if needed.
In my mind it is the perfect choice, along with a backup hand gun. I don’t own a shotgun, so that wasn’t an option.
However, I didn’t bring it. For one if the cops responded and saw me getting out of my car with an AR it may not have gone down to well or if they showed up after I entered the building and saw me walking around with a rifle even my own company would not have been to pleased. May even cost me my job.
So I just shoved my newly purchased 45 in my belt, with one extra mag. I have now fired several hundred rounds though it with perfect function, both right and left handed and with both mags. I was very confident it would serve me well, not jam when needed, and go bang if I pulled the trigger. I love the 45 round anyway. Carried condition 1, the safety has proved to be very positive and I like the grip safety also, something my Detonics does not have and was a little less secure carrying that one cocked and locked with only one level of safety.
Since this is a business open to the general public, I have been robbed at gunpoint on a few different occasions. We are not allowed to have firearms at work, so confronting an armed robber isn’t much of an option. One time a guy came in right at closing and unloaded several rounds before announcing the robbery and fired another shot when the safe wasn’t being opened fast enough – he was pretty strung out on crack or whatever. Another time was threatened to have head blown off if couldn’t open the inner safe where the bulk of the cash is which can only be opened by an armored car service. Only small amount of petty cash is available. He was told to do whatever he had to cause “we ain’t getting into that safe” thankfully he believed it and left.
I always wondered how I would react under stress. Years ago my now X wife was held up at her small business. She remained cool and calm. Had no idea how I would have reacted. But it tuned out in the times I went through it, I remained calm too, have no idea why, just turned out like that.
Just saying that I am fairly confident I will not panic if I ended up encountering someone armed due to past experience. As a civy that never gets exposed to combat/leo situations hard to know how one would react.
But also goes to show, us ‘regular guys’ do get into situations where we need to know what to do, handle weapons, and have some skills needed to defend ourselves and am glad the professional trainers understand this and offer proper training. We want to learn for the same reasons the pros do.
Many people just don’t understand why a civilian wants to own and be proficient with firearms let alone basic self defense.
The questions are.
I can hit pretty much anything I aim at but could I hit someone firing back at me under that kind of stress without time to aim?
Could I make a hit in an odd position?
How to react when startled if someone gets behind you?
Most likely ‘not very well’ since I have had no formal training or have ever competed.
I can fully understand how competition would build confidence and skills in honing fast and accurate hits as well as attending classes for proper form and mindset.
Anyway to end this ridiculously long story, a co worker also responded and was already there when I arrived, he was sitting in his car. He wouldn’t enter the building alone ( smart move) and called the cops to come and escort him ( also smart move) I was just going to go in alone as I usually do ( not such a smart move).
One cop arrived, the 3 of us went in…all armed ( we both have carry permits ) although he didn’t know we were carrying. We went through every room, bathrooms, backrooms ect…. All was clear.
Afterwards we were talking and he said we did good but “did you look up? “. The answer was no. He pointed out many breakins come from the roof and guys hide out in the rafters. Another lesson learned.
How many of you guys have had to respond to your businesses from an alarm call and would you have brought your M4 with you?
Ken