SEAL Survival Guide (18 page)
Read SEAL Survival Guide Online
Authors: Cade Courtley
ACTIVE SHOOTER CHECKLIST
1. Get off the X. Remove yourself from immediate danger.
2. Regroup and regain focus.
3. Perform a self-assessment for injuries and resources.
4. Form your game plan. Make a decision, keep the group cohesive, and assign individuals responsibility.
5. Live or die. Pull the trigger! This is your
mission
!
6. Make sure you safely encounter law enforcement.
AIRPLANE CRASH
Airline travel is now a common occurrence, with an estimated two billion people worldwide flying every year. When you enter an aircraft, you literally turn your life over to the mechanical integrity of the aircraft and to the pilot’s skills. However, preparedness, rehearsal and reenactment, and the SEAL mindset can enhance your odds of survival in the event of a crash. Although airplanes are widely considered the safest way to travel, they do occasionally go down. While it seems hard to believe sometimes, there is always a chance you can survive an airplane crash, and how you approach the act of air travel can increase your odds of survival.
The two main threats to you on an airplane (aside from hijacking and terrorism, which we’ll save for a later section) are the impact of the plane against something, and post-impact conditions, mainly fires, fuel combustion, and smoke inhalation. It is estimated that 30 percent of those who have died in airplane accidents were lucky enough to survive the crash but failed to respond properly after.
Preflight Preparation
When SEALs plan for a mission, be it in the Arctic, the tropics, an urban setting, or the desert, a critical part of our success is the uniform and gear we wear and use. In tactical planning, this is grouped with overall equipment. Nevertheless, the choice is made on the basis of functionality. The military has learned over the years that clothing, footwear, and other accessories provided to a soldier are important elements of the planning phase. This is
also something to consider in your daily routines—are you dressed to handle an emergency?
When traveling by airplane, think less about looking fashionable or professional and more about what would serve you best if something were to go wrong. This applies to both men and women.
• Always wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts or blouses made of less flammable material (such as 100 percent polyester, nylon, wool, or silk) and avoid more combustible fabrics (such as cotton, cotton-polyester blends, rayon, or acrylic). This will act as a layer of protection for your skin should a fire occur, and prevent you from sustaining cuts or lacerations caused by debris that might impede your escape.
• Avoid wearing sandals, open-toe shoes, or high heels. You may want to wear sandals to get yourself in vacation mode, for example, or high heels to look stylish; however, these types of shoes will hinder you should you need to climb through burning wreckage or debris, broken glass, or flammable liquids. In fact, high heels have to be removed before going down inflatable evacuation slides, wasting precious seconds during an escape.
• Have a handkerchief or some other cloth you can cover your mouth with in case of a smoke or noxious-fume event. This won’t always be enough, but it may buy you precious seconds.
WHERE TO SIT
Book a seat with emergency evacuation in mind. In examining the statistics of airline crashes compiled by the Federal Aviation Administration, the greatest number of survivors are among those who were seated toward the back of the aircraft. First class may have the most comfortable seats and allow you to be the first on and the first to disembark during nonemergency situations, but these seats are not
statistically the safest. In fact, passengers seated closer to the tail have an estimated 40 percent higher survival rate. In addition, seats closest to the exit doors are preferable. If you survive the initial impact, you want to be in a position to get out of the aircraft as quickly as possible.
The one thing that has killed more SEALs than anything else (by a wide margin) is helicopters. I often thought it was the most dangerous part of the job: many men crammed into a small space, flying around in something that has a ton of moving parts and shouldn’t really work. Then it must slow down, giant target that it is, when it’s most vulnerable, during takeoff and landing. Unfortunately, it is a necessity of war.
GATHERING INTELLIGENCE
In the military, we have no choice in boarding the aircraft to which we are assigned. However, in the civilian world, many people spend considerable time researching the ratings of a hotel, for example, but gather no intelligence on the aircraft that will get them there. To enhance your chances of survival, include in your travel plans, well in advance of the flight, research information about the safety record of the plane you are ticketed to take.
Some commercial airlines keep planes in service for more than forty years. You can check the mechanical data and safety records of any plane. The Federal Aviation Administration maintains incident reports for all aircraft. You can find detailed records by knowing the aircraft’s identification, or “N,” numbers, which are found near the tail of every plane. You can request the N-number of the plane when you book a ticket. If you go to the FAA website (
http://www.faa.gov/
), the N-number will tell you the age of the plane and many other invaluable details.
Situational Awareness on the Plane
From the time you enter the plane your situational awareness should be extremely high. Be aware of the following:
The condition of the plane.
The condition of the pilots and flight crew.
Your fellow passengers: Does anyone seem unusually nervous, uncomfortable, or out of place?
