More doing something: School Attacker Response Course

Like many of you, I was deeply moved by the massacre in Newtown, CT.  The senseless killing of innocents should do that to anyone with a soul.  But I felt more than disbelief and sadness.  I felt angry…and then resolved.  Angry at those that blamed the tool used rather than the man and the society behind it.  Angry at those calling for more rights to be taken away without even knowing what they were asking for.  But resolved to do something positive about it.
Through a series of small, chance happenings (one man’s luck is another man’s hand of God) I ended up finding out about the School Attacker Response Course that Rob Pincus, of ICE Training and Combat Focus Shooting fame, was putting together.  I found them on Facebook and followed them.  A week or so later I happened to be on Facebook when Rob put out a call for some help getting a website for the course setup and I raised my hand.  Fast forward another week and the site was up and running.  Through the course of getting the site setup I noticed that there was an instructor certification course scheduled to happen a bit north of Columbus OH, but that it was already at full capacity.  I asked if I could come anyway and Rob said yes.  I got up before the crack of dawn, drive up to Delaware, OH and for the next 10 hours went through all the material, presentations and testing that it takes to instruct the 2-3 hour course.  A few days later after a background check, a check of my test and a review of my presentation, I found out I passed and was certified.  That was just last Thursday.
In the last few days, things have really been falling into place (by chance?  I really don’t think so…).  I asked for and have been given an interview on 55 WKRC.  I really think that will generate lots of interest and future bookings for the course – at least I hope so.  I also tapped into my personal network and have had meetings and have more coming up with local school administrators as well as law enforcement.  The response has been really positive and those should lead to some classes being scheduled as well.  Lastly the owner of the dojo where my son takes Karate and I take Krav Maga has generously offered the use of his studio to hold a session of the course that is open to all – teachers, administrators, faculty and parents.
Now I need you to help me get the word out.  Share the flyers for the course offering in schools and for the event on Feb 23rd.  Point people to the website.  Like the program on Facebook.  Tell people to tune in on Thursday (or listen to the podcast later).  Get people to ask questions and sign up.
The information and discussion in this course is not a hard sell.  It’s not about arming teachers with guns.  It is all about some concepts and principles that attendees can discuss while there and take away to make a plan that is better than “hide and hope” in the unlikely event that they should ever be faced with a school attack.  Help me get this information to all that need to hear it.