I think we had more on a Friday afternoon at 3 PM, but we also have them at 11 PM and other times the office is closed. Theyll know all the doors to block, all the hiding spots, all the weapons to hide. I cannot fathom how it has happened that even young children are expected to learn to react to someone with a gun. You have a side hustle 6. A seven hour training is rediculous, even actual drills for emergency services dont last that long. I cried, honestly, because even though it was very low key and not big budget, it was very effective at showing what its like, to have a normal work and school day completely turn on its head. Precisely, More Training Needed. Yes, its a well-known fact that the most effective way TO LEARN is during a state of abject terror maintained over multiple hours. The best way to make the most of your time in the Drill Army Reserves is to get involved with your unit and fellow soldiers. You have a family emergency. When I was 12 I pretended to be a dead body for a drill run by the local police. Make sure you have a plan for how youll cover these expenses before you sign up. He doesnt care about his employees feelings. Especially for people with a history of trauma. Ive seen plenty of law enforcement response to school additions. You could also make up a fake relative, or say that you knew someone who died in x major shooting event. But more than that, your boss thinks it would be funny to direct a terrorist or mass murderer to go kill someone younger? Thank you! I lost someone I knew to a mass shooter several years, and have been dealing with anxiety for these types of situations since, with professional help. How are you doing? She looked at me and said I went to Columbine High School. I can still feel the bottom dropping out of my stomach. Or worse, maybe they know its going to happen sometime between those seven hours, but not when. The next thing that could happen is getting an official reprimand. My husband cant eat in public with his back to the door. When I was in high school my best friend died in a car crash. This. I could see someone thoughtlessly approaching it like rehearsing a play. Here are a few ideas: New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Sorry, I got a bit over-emotional here, but anyways you got what wemeant. That would put you on the other side of the experience, have no surprises, be exposed to the useful material, and feel in control of the day for yourself. Your sporting team is playing in the finals. What kind of work does this company do that they think theres such heightened risk of a mass shooting in their workplace that this over-the-top training is necessary? What action should OP expect to be taken, as a result of this call? Maybe you choose a night later in the week so if you're tired, so you can remind yourself you'll just have to get through one more day until the weekend. Its been really hard to deal with for them and me as their mom who couldnt protect them from this happening. Practicing locking doors/closing windows, leaving the building like in a fire drill, knowing how your employer sends out emergency info and the basics of what to do are perfectly sufficient and are applicable in many situations. You've only watched 16 videos of veterans coming home to their dogs and you promised yourself you'd break 30 tonight. Hey [Name] Ive got some stuff going on and I think that would make it difficult to be around me at the moment. So I can see the value of having people exposed to, and not react to, something like a helicopter or other distraction. It may help to know as a 5th option for opt out that the law enforcement facilitators will almost always offer the opportunity for individuals to opt out of simulation portions by self identifying at the very beginning of the training. Its not that I dont care or think its fine: I feel very grim when I read about the latest shooting(s), in a f this country way similar to how I react to new abortion bans or anti-LGBTQ+ bills, and I hate the online active shooter training module I have to do yearly for my job. Do this training or your insurance rate will go up.. Instead of a drill, why not just some quick tips on what to do and not do? I jumped straight to calling out sick, well before I got that part of Alisons answer. There wont be chaotic running through the halls. You Have Diarrhea 7. It doesnt matter what people think. Thats it. It traumatized her. TLDR: I need to do drills so emergency responders dont have to add dealing with me to their plate; it is my civic duty. Make sure to tell them that your boss has been dismissing your concerns and you dont trust him to handle mental health issues with any seriousness. there were no office doors to close and we had no escape roots beside the main hall, so we would be trapped. To this day I can remember everything about Columbine and it felt like there was this huge shift that altered the rest of my school experience. 4) Bring a book or something else to occupy your mind if you get bored during drill. It gets so much worse! Please believe him. So. So. Dont worry about not looking tough. Ours was a few days long, they played a sound over the PA every [whatever number of minutes it is that someone dies from drunk driving], and they staged the crash on the football field and made us all go look. You only need 50 points for a Good Year. When the drill ended, they came back, all laughing how they had been shot and if they were dead, could they go home for the day. They make you practice barricading doors. So yes, after a while you realize not much will change and there is nothing you can do about it and you dont understand why people dont careand you never see any photos of dead children so it is almost theoretical and what can you do so you just get numb. I would call in sick, but Id also plan on having a doctors note ready. (And get a pizza delivered to your address. I have ptsd. Thanks, Tell the host a detailed story of how hectic your last week was with all the office meetings, official tours, and prepping up for the big seminar that went great today. So a UTA 4 would be four drill periods. Before starting this site, A.C. has 10+ years of experience as management professional in a Fortune 500 Company. You have to wake up early, do a bunch of pointless things, and then youre exhausted for the rest of the day. BUT I also think theres a major difference between walking through lets all identify the doors wed need to lock and the spaces wed want to hide in [our offices / work spaces we frequent / etc. It is usually best to work these issues out with the chain of command or have someone do it for you. Then you can avoid the worst of the after-event commentary. To enhance the dramatic effect, you can fill up your voice with tears and can have a catharsis you were longing for. Because of course.). Ive been involved in a workplace shooting and its not something that needs reenacting. You do not need to hear gun shots or see people play dead or whatever simulated shenanigans people want to insist on. I have to do the Run, Hide, Fight video at work. Sending my best wishes to you. I'll keep it short. Local law enforcement trains other law enforcement organizations. Do you own a pet? Weve at least got an HR. You have a family emergency. Depressing, yet so effective. The site ate my previous post, so Ill do a shorter version. I guess they need more real time training. I am not sure why the school wanted you to do this, but the drills are a regular thing for Emergency Services. Your boss sounds like a huge jerk. Im aware of the exits on campus, and my personal area is chock full of hiding spaces. It was a labyrinth of shelves, and being the basement, there were no windows. Those types of drills like you did are really for the outside agencies to practice their plans, plus the company has a specific issue like chemical spill that they need to practice. But drills for fire alarms, tornadoes, shooters, etc are necessary in my opinion. Make a complaint or request or whatever afterwards if you feel up to it, but for now just protect yourself by disengaging, and make sure you give yourself lots of TLC and distraction on your sick day. And if that fool makes another joke, look him in the face and say Did you just try to joke about me being murdered to save yourself? There is no generational excuse. I left the room and the trainer told me if I didnt participate I wouldnt pass the course. Combine that with the militarization of police, and these trainings are an abusive nightmare. I work in a school and I think our staff training maxed out at like an hour, and half of that was about identifying and preventing threats. However, the opt out usually looks like being told ahead of time what will happen and standing with a non involved officer rather than participating. I was lucky enough not to have to go through them, although they do make us watch online training videos at my job now once per year. OP, go to your primary care provider. We hope that these excuses will help you get some much needed you time. There is a huge possibility that they wont remember asking you later in the hustle of all the guests,and in case they do, pick up any otherexcuse from this list. Just flat out no. We had one on site drill each year that was conducted by security. If something comes up that requires your immediate attention (such as a death in the family), this is considered a valid excuse for missing drill. Jeez, people go to work to *work*, not to LARP or to do choreographed dance routines. I remember there was someone (presumably several administrators) in the hallway repeatedly jiggling the locked door handle and it was suggested to us that they were doing so every time we were loud enough to be heard from the hallway. Plus employers (not mine, fortunately) discourage/forbid their employees from reporting assaults on their person and tell them thats part of the job. Never had a garish, clashing lip color since I learned that trick years ago when I worked in department store cosmetics and was a model for make up/hair when my friends went through state boards for their cosmetology licenses. Joking about the shooter choosing another target is horrifically awful. Then in my senior year of high school, we all got herded a couple of times out to the track, because apparently someone had called in bomb threats. Our population is very low-functioning, so having them do an active shooter run-hide-fight type of drill is pointless. 3. I was very glad to not witness that or it would have left me in tears again. If your employer or client asks why you can't or don't want to work on the weekends, you are not obligated to provide a reason. I grew up in the era of mass shootings. I had a young kid when Sandy Hook happened, as many of us old folks did, but even those who are childless should at least be able to imagine the trauma these drills can cause. Here are the best way you can write a professional email at work! Id call in sick the day before as well better cover story. I suspect he died chomping on a fire alarm wire. It gives me hives. All rights reserved. I actually now feel I did not stress enough that this is an exceptionally dysfunctional and terrible approach, and should only be used if a) LWs knowledge of their boss says it will work and b) theyre out of other options. Hey [Name], my stomach is not in the best of conditions at the moment so its probably best for everyone if I stay at home this evening. Ugh. Oct 21, 2005 #2. I started a new job recently, one where I wanted to impress and have significant imposter syndrome. A person who cant handle those wouldnt be able to work those jobs. Because lets be honest, who does not want to have a hot mug of coffee on the terrace while watching the rain pouring onto the glass of your windows, making a thud sound and yet so calming? Im sorry for the loss of your loved one and for your own experience too. Unless a midterm or final is involved, college is not an excuse or missing drill. Who should I talk to for that?, If he mocks you or implies youre a delicate snowflake, consider saying: You and I are coming to this with a very different frame of reference. Boo yeah! We have to let the videos play and take multiple quizzes to get a certificate, but Ive now done them enough that I can let the video play while not really paying attention, and my anxiety has disappeared over the trainings. If this were a short (10-20 min) drill, Id say you might be out of luck. Active shooter drills and lockdown drills are one of the few that my kids take seriously. What's a Good Excuse To Tell Your Boss Not to Work on the Weekends? Do I normally condone lying? excuses to get out of drill weekend As a side comment, if you have not yet sought out a mental health professional who is experienced in dealing with PTSD, you may wish to explore that at some point. If you have a valid reason, such as work or school, you can request an exception to miss a drill weekend. I cant tell you the number of times roads and tube stops were closed off and wed mutter not another bloody bomb threat and turn around. My daughters friend since pre-school was killed in a mass shooting during her freshman year in college. You are needed for babysitting 9. When staff brought this and other safety concerns to upper management, these were brushed away, even though 1) they hired the trainer to come and say these things, and 2) we had violent threats and probably at least 1 or 2 lockdowns per year. However, you will be expected to train regularly and participate in drills and exercises. The active shooter training was a short part of the overall agenda. The half day will be for transportation. On my stomach lining, which makes me puke, nearly immediately. Fast forward to this current moment in your life, (whereveryou may be) and youve found that youve hit a certain point where things have taken a massive swing. as a manager, should I not wear a childless shirt in my off-hours? If the host does not know about your dating life, you can easily go with this one. My only other thought is, that if this simulation might happen more than once, it could be useful to go the formal accommodations route so you have a standing reason to not attend any sessions. I was the first person they tried to take as a hostage, it was something new. Go somewherea hike, a spa, a museumon that day. As someone who has frequently been the only woman on the team, I certainly understand the concern of being additionally seen as different if you opt out. Call me paranoid, but I cant think of a bigger threat to security than announcing an all-day active shooter drill in advance. I doubt it. So not really a recommendation, and honestly I think the sick day route (or just a days vacation) has a lot going for it, but something to consider if you do want to have the discussion. Thank you for sharing this; Im sorry that this has to be a continued topic and continued trauma. Because all you need to do is say these four words,and the magic will work. It wasnt really an active shooter simulation, but for some reason, the approach at the time was Its really important to stay silent, so try to imagine that its real as you cower in this corner. (Spoiler alert 20ish seven- and eight-year-olds are REALLY bad at playing silent sardines, even when the imaginary stakes are high.). (gag). Each time, it has been a targeted shooting. I was rather pleased when, about six months after I quit, my favorite former coworker mentioned that theyd installed motion sensors to replace the timer switches. Im sorry that anyone has to deal with this. For more information, please see our They say that the time for RST has passed. Once I had to go down there to switch to a new bag of soda concentrate, which took a lot longer than usual. Yelling about justice on the Internet and casting anemic votes isnt going to work. Regardless, if you want to tell your boss you dont want to work on the weekends, you should be honest and genuine, oftentimes your boss will not force you to come to work as it will be bad for the teams morale and productivity. We finally did get robbed. Uggggghhhh. See, thats what I wonder about. (They literally had us hiding in our offices while the public was still in our spaces creating a safety hazard while doing safety training!) Generally if you submit early enough in advance and have a compelling reason, it will be approved. I was when I first went to this unit 5.5 years ago. This is horrific. Standing up for yourself now gets my vote. Oh my god. Christians, similarly, typically attend church on Sundays. What Happens if I Miss Navy Reserve Drill Weekend? All The Best Squid Game Memes For Those Still Reeling After That Twist Ending Believe us,this works every time. Hes that cavalier about mass mayhem?? Heck, my dad worked in the Pentagon post 9/11, D.C. Sniper, and Virginia Tech and threat training was like an hour. A good excuse should be true and should not be a fake obligation or illness created for you to get out of work. this isnt an Im calling my lawyer so I can sue knee-jerk thing, its consultation on employment law and options when the obvious ones are made inaccessible for one reason or another. So, as you can see, its very important not to miss a drill weekend. Thankfully events like this are never mandatory at my job, so its unlikely to come up. Plus,no one wants to hear the details. Also, skip the hair routine, finger brush it out. Nope , its not. But for moments like this and in workplaces like this where there isnt a great way out this is what these lies, excuses, or pivots are for. Our society (U.S.) has gone around the bend and its valuable for reasoned voices to call it out. The session before it was about what to have in your desk emergency kit in case of an earthquake. But as long as we expect children to go through this, we adults need to also, dont we? There is a debate you can maybe find evidence of online as to whether this is effective. Between the GUN SHOTS outside the classroom, and the unbelievably unqualified instructor who gleefully talked about all the times his hyper-vigilance protected his girlfriend on the mean streets of our farm state, it was too much. This is basically a formal warning letting you know that if you miss another drill weekend, there will be consequences. This was not that, its just callous. Lavender Baj, Culture I have been battling car issues for over a week now. But hes a nice guy . **Large scale mass shooting at organization. My unit was pretty strict though, so who knows. Take more than a day offI suggest you take the following day off, too. They are known to induce anxiety in participants, and theres no evidence that they really help much if you find yourself in an actual active shooter situation. There are still plenty of ways to stay sharp and keep your skills sharp. Weve had enough fires in our building (five during 2020-2021) that everyone knows the fire sprinklers go off and the big problem is flooding. This! Want to write a professional email at work? (Or maybe youcan!). I did not encounter any of the officers because I immediately closed my door when the drill started, but my Dean and several coworkers who were standing in the hallway right next to our office did encounter one. You have a work conflict . Apologize for not making it upto them,but you cant do anything about it? Are there many gossipers in your work place? Please stand firm on the accommodations that you need. Ahh, thats the stuff. Not a drill, but my church employer, with school and preschool attached, had us all watch a video of a shooting simulation at a school. Bring your creative projects to life with ready-to-use design assets from independent creators around the world. I didnt wear makeup one day because I didnt feel like it. The trainings I have had have been locally-created garbage not based on evidence. if your boss asks, just say you woke up feeling too sick to work that day. We had a minor fire in our building when it was new, and management discovered the hard way that the alarms didnt sound on most of the 6 floors. All The Hidden Clues In Squid Game That Pointed To That Twist Ending
Argentina Citizenship By Marriage,
Husband Doesn't Want To Spend Time With Me,
Mr Softee Killer,
Death Notices Christchurch,
Caroline Bright Smith,
Articles E
excuses to get out of drill weekend