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Surviving a Suicide Bomber

First Off…

It is a damn shame that any human being has to take the time to seriously write an article with the above title, but the world does not conform to decency and honor at all times, so here we are. The chosen environments for the majority of suicide bombings (crowded venues) and the added aspect of the scum not caring at all about being able to leave the scene of the crime alive make specific measures and predictions extremely tough to implement.

There are a few general guidelines to keep in mind. We will divide these into three tiers: 80/20 Scanning, Alarmed But Uncertain, Full-On.

80/20 Scanning

If you are in any crowded venue, whether it be at a sporting event, concert, farmer’s market, airport, mall… hell, anywhere where good people congregate to go about their business living and having fun, we’ve got to admit that there is always the possibility that bad things could potentially happen.

This is not me advocating for the shunning of all events that draw crowds or telling you to live scared, it is quite the contrary. I am urging everyone to use a bit of Pareto’s 80/20 Principle. What I mean by this is that you should place 80% of your attention on the fun at hand and allow 20% of your attention/time be devoted to vigilantly scanning your surroundings. In other words, pay attention, to everything.

Approach the event like a springbok might would a watering hole on the Serengeti– a place to slake thirst, mingle with other springbok, maybe get the cute one’s number, but always keep in mind that there may be a lion in the bushes or a crocodile in the shallows. Drink the water, mingle, have fun, but stay awake.

General Scanning Rules

Look for backpacks and large bags. Many venues ban these, some do not. Your job/my job/our job is to look for any backpacks or large bags in the venue, and if we see them, report them if they prohibited at the event. If they are permitted, allow yourself to do a bit of profiling of the backpack wearer or bag-holder. Look for intention signaling.

What those signals might be, we’ve discussed in many other articles in the past, so I’m sure you are already aware of intention signals at this point. We add to our luck by staying awake and aware. With remaining awake and aware in mind–PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY! It is impossible to be in the here and now when a tiny screen has captured your undivided attention. Being glued to your phone means that you not only miss your snowball’s chance in hell of spotting trouble, but you are less than fully present at the event you presumably freely chose (and paid) to attend. Putting the phone away is a win-win.

Alarmed But Uncertain

Obviously, if we see something, we say something, but this is where we get a little dark and perhaps even a little Machiavellian. Let’s presume we see something a little odd, but not quite odd enough to set off any alarms. We’ve seen something that gets our gut going but we’ve got no real actionable “tell” that we can point to. We want to pay a bit closer attention while at the same time playing it safe rather than sorry.

I’m going to say something mighty obvious and a bit self-preserving here. The further you are from a bomb-blast, the greater your odds of survival are and the lower your chances of being severely injured are. No-brainer, right? Even darker– The more people between you and the suicide bomber, the greater your survival odds are.

With these uncertain tells in mind, I am advocating that you to remove yourself from the immediate area of possible-concern. By all means, keep your eye on whatever has you concerned and if the tells escalate, give alarm NOW. If your tell-signal diminishes, well, nobody but you, and those in your charge know that you were silently using the crowd as shields.

Full-On.

We’re in full-on hell here. If we have failed to spot the threat and are close to the epicenter of the blast, well, fortune will do what it does. If there is a split-second between “Oh, shit this is going down” and the actual triggering of the device, here is your snowball’s chance in hell protocol: Hit the deck IMMEDIATELY.

These devices are meant to fragment and/or send projectile material through human flesh. Whether this material be nuts, bolts, ball-bearings, etc., dispersal physics say that the vast majority of this material will go up, down, and outward. Your job is to create the smallest profile in this dispersal cloud.

So, with that in mind…

  1. Hit the deck!
  2. Point the soles of your feet toward the scumbag bomber. You create the smallest profile possible and have the best chance of protecting your vitals in this position.
  3. Cross your legs to ensure an even smaller profile and decrease the likelihood that the blast will catch a splayed leg and shear it.
  4. Go facedown, hands over your head and ears, fingers interlaced, with elbows tucked to sides over ribs. Again, protect your vitals.
  5. Close your eyes tight.
  6. Open your mouth. This is counter-intuitive, but this tactic is to help equalize the pressure of the bomb blast. Opening your mouth can reduce your chances of suffering ruptured eardrums and lungs.

Drills

“Never do anything for the first time in combat.”

It is not enough for us to merely read an article and nod our head and think to ourselves, “Good idea.” We must put it into practice. We can and should be drilling awareness/alertness every single day of our lives.

When it comes to the Full-On Survival Posture I recommend hitting it right now. Hit the deck and assume the position. If you’re really serious, over the course of the next week, give a tennis ball to your family members and ask them to do you a favor. Over the next seven days, a couple of times per day at least, tell them to toss the ball onto the floor of the room you’re in, in the front yard while your trimming the hedges, anywhere and anytime that you aren’t really thinking about it.

Tell them to catch you unaware. Treat where the ball lands as the bomber’s position and hit the deck and assume the position. If we’re lucky, two things will happen with the Drill Week:

  1. Your friends and family members have a laugh making your lunge for the ground for seven days.
  2. You never, ever need such dire advice.

Peace, love, and harmony to the good and kind!
Death to villains!

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112 thoughts on “Surviving a Suicide Bomber”

  1. Awesome, awesome, awesome. Thank you for your life preserving advice. You have done all of us an amazing service. I thank you and my family thanks you. Thank you FightFast for EVERYTHING YOU do and for ALL the materials, & survival TOOLS you provide at such reasonable PRICES!!!

    Reply

  2. Awesome advice! Nobody wants to think it can happen to them but the fact is, it can! Thank you for sharing some tips that very could save a life!

    Reply

  3. Good advise but not thorough enough. What about finding out what can or can not be allowed at events? If spotting suspect finding something solid to hid behind?
    If sitting select either a table or dropping behind row of chairs. Using cell phone to identify suspect.
    Certain there are other methods to survive.

    Reply

  5. #1 I always avoid large crowded places as much as possible.#2 I am always vigilant about what is going on around me where ever I am .I always carry my gun concealed on my waist and one in an ankle holster and at least 4 knives so no matter which direction trouble is coming from I always have a weapon to grab when needed. I may be overly cautious ,but better safe then sorry !

    Reply

  6. Thanks for very useful information. Sad we live in times where such hatetrid exists. I read all your posts. I show my wife all the defensive moves. As an older gentleman it is imperative to stop an attack with one move.
    Thanks again.
    Rick

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  7. Thank you. I think about this stuff all the time. I am a 61 y.o. grandmother with two little grands in my charge. I don’t want to scare them but I want to prepare them. Not quite sure if I can accomplish that. Its a shame that we have to rob their innocence and sense of security.
    But thank you. Going to do this.

    Reply

  12. Everything i’ve read that comes from your site is as always very informative, i would suggest that people need to be 50% aware with their surroundings if not more and the rest to having a good time your life may very well depend on it. And with all the great deals of tools and gear that you are offering just helps me feel more prepared for what lies ahead. Keep it up FightFast and thanks for your dedication.

    Reply

  14. Hahahaha. I get the need to practice. But I can’t help thinking of Inspector Clouseau of La Surete in the Pink Panther movie franchise. The good Inspector had instructed his houseman, Kato to attack him whenever and wherever he would least expect it in order to keep his reflexes sharp.

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  15. Thank you, timely article and I really did practice this in my kitchen just now. I have too many friends who WANT to keep their heads in the sand and not listen. Fortunately my two sons are smart guys and always appreciate updates like this too. Thanks again!

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  16. It’s a crying shame that our Intelligence Agencies cannot sound the alarm when ISIS, et al, are planning a big hit. How are all these explosives moving around … can’t we “sniff” them at ports of entry? Since many of these chemicals are vibrationally unstable (physical or electromagnetic), might it be possible to pass everything through a machine that would cause the chemicals to detonate? Even better would be something you could pack into a aircraft or even hovercraft, and simply fly over the urban or rural area, setting off the boomers in your wake? At least it sounds like fun.

    It’s going to get a lot nastier before it gets better. I just counciled a cousin of mine with teenage daughters to stay away from the highly publicized “big events”, because that’s where the terrorists want to strike. Better to watch it on TV.

    Based on national government events of the last year, particularly the last 6 months, there is no intelligence in The Swamp … we are on our own, for sure.

    Reply

  17. This information is good information
    I’ve been in security since 1984
    This information is priceless thank you
    My friend

    Reply

  18. Thanks for the lesson! Will definitely be practicing this one In light of the recent attacks taking place on our soil. I pray that I will never have to use this, but if the need arises I now know I’ll be able hopefully take care of myself and my loved ones

    Reply

  20. I agree with your content and the idea of maintaining situational awareness. It is truly sad that we need to train this way, but it is the unfortunate reality that we live in. If you want to better understand what to look for when scanning, I suggest reading Left of Bang by Patrick Van Horn and Jason Riley. It really details what to focus on. Thanks!

    Reply

  21. Thanks, Mark (and Bob),
    A bunch of good tips here. I even discussed this article with my wife and, to my surprise, she expressed appreciation, too. She usually thinks I’m a bit of a paranoid nut. But “Manchester” has hit home with a lot of folks.
    Safe life, everyone, thanks again.

    Reply

  24. Dan I hate to read stuff like that, but thanks for putting it up so I can read it. It is good advice.

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  26. True that we should never have to think of anything like this but I appreciate the information… ! Thank you

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  28. Excellent article. Reality is to save and protect your loved ones and yourself. True terrorism is when people are afraid to attend events and become too scared to live their lives and enjoy themselves. That’s when terrorism really works. Let’s kick their asses and create terrorism on our terms. Thank you for the article.

    Reply

  29. I must have missed the article on 20% surveillance techniques and what the “tells” are that we should use as potential warning flags. In light of Manchester and the heightened concerns since then of escalated threats, might it be possible to please reissue that prior article again?

    It certainly wouldn’t hurt for everyone to have another refresher on monitoring for potential threats, even those who took your past article to heart already. Thank you for your insights.

    Here’s to our freedom to enjoy our lives! Here’s to awareness, proactivity and a combination of luck and divine intervention, as well.

    Reply

  33. Well organized tips. Thanks I’ll share with my daughter who’s going to school in the U.K.

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  34. Excellent article and a drill that we all need to practice (unfortunately) more than once a day for seven days. Always be ready expect the unexpected and be ready to react without thinking about the steps you’ve outlined. It MUST be second nature!!

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  36. Great article I have been aware of scanning crowds and looking for oddballs but the advice about how to assume the position in the actual details of doing it like mouth open feet towards the scum bag to lessen the blast. is all stuff I did not know thank you

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  37. This article gives good advice,it goes with what we are learning in my Krav Maga self-defense class.Be aware of your surroundings no matter where you are.

    Reply

  39. This is what I need. This is why I subscribe. Tactics and methods. Refreshers. Updated, or recommended. Thank you.

    Reply

  40. I READ EVERYTHING YOU SEND ME & SOMETIMES ORDER IF I CAN AFFORD IT . SO FAR I”VE FOLLOWED ALMOST EVERYTHING TO A TEE , I TAKE EVERYTHING VERY VERY SERIOUSLY , ESPECIALY IN THIS DAY & AGE . THANKS FOR ALL YOU SEND & THE INFO , YOU PROVIDE FOR US AGAIN THANK YOU VERY MUCH . ALTHOUGH I’M NOT A VET PLEASE TELL THOSE WHO SERVED FOR ME I SEND THEM MY THANKS FOR EVERYTHING THEY DO FOR US . SORRY FOR ANY BAD SPELLING .

    SINCERLY YOURS ,

    TIM KELLY

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  41. Thank you for sharing and yes it’s so important to have already thought of what to do then to try to figure it out when you find yourself in a situation.

    Reply

  42. Thanks for the article.anytime I can info like this at the right time is great.Going to a concert in the next couple of months and this will give me and friends something to discuss.

    Reply

  45. God bless the people of England at the arena. God rest the soles of the people who perished . Amen. And death to all the murderers out there.

    Reply

  46. These techniques are very well thought out. And to practice them is the best way to be prepared. Being alert and observant is one of the best defense methods that I have ever learned. In Vietnam it saved my was many times for 5 tours. Thanks

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  47. . Ready to take the family to Europe , so we will be practicing this for the next couple weeks and I don’t care if they think I’m stupid it may just save our lives thank you for your advice

    Reply

  48. I think I get the idea. You know you’re in trouble and this is a way to hopefully save yourself and to either avoid or at least reduce the chance for injury. And it’s a valuable lesson beyond the physical technique as we should try to survive by every means possible. Little actions that increase our chances by small fractions can add up to a big enough difference that lets us beat the odds.

    I am also amazed at how unaware people are of everything and block out the world.

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  49. That is so true. We live in a world of violence. We all need to pay more attention to our surroundings and be vigilant about those around us.

    Reply
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