Resident Safety
If you live in an area where drive by shootings are common,it’s never a good idea to let your children play in the front yard or on the front porch. However, if you want to let your kids enjoy the outdoors, never allow them to do so unsupervised. You, or someone you can trust, should be on the lookout for signs of potential trouble. Chances are, you know the people who are associated with gang activity. If you notice an unfamiliar car coming down the street (in a normal untrafficked neighborhood), move to safety. Being aware of your surroundings can help you keep your family the good resident safety zone.
It is also crucial that you teach your children what to do if they hear shots or suspect that a drive-by shooting might occur. Instead of standing up and running inside (or worse, watching to wait what happens), they should hit the ground with their stomachs and should not move. It’s what soldiers do if they are under fire, and your children will be, if only for one moment, in a combat zone. Once they are confident that the car is gone, they can crawl on their stomachs to safety. Practice drills with them, so they know what to expect and what to do to stay safe.
If a drive by shooting occurs while you are in your home, immediately get as low as possible. Lie on the floor in you stomach and cover small children with your body to increase their resident safety. Drive by shootings typically last a few seconds. So when you notice the shots have stopped, crawl into the house and call 911. If you can peek out the window safely, check to see what color and make the shooter’s car is and the direction it is heading to give to the police. when they arrive. Do not exit your home! Be sure to wait until the authorities have cleared the area and given you permission to do so.
