Hearing it makes me think well, of course but I might not have thought of that when telling my staff about it. Except the trainings are ongoing so new employees can take them and so we keep getting emails. Never did an illness/epidemic one, which is too bad, because the covid response here was pathetically weak for the first year or so. Tell them how you were all dressed up for this party, and you are afraid that the mechanic workshop m, Even if it isnt, its going to take a while. If you are sick, you must report to your unit and be evaluated by a medical professional. Here are some valid excuses for missing drill: Everytown urges schools not to hold them (or, to reconsider them): https://www.everytown.org/solutions/active-shooter-drills/, My middle-schooler had one this week. Jesus. For the most part, the training most people will need in an active shooter situation will much less than a day people might have to hide for hours in a real event but Im not sure how much actually hiding adds to watching a five minute video. In the United States, the First Amendment of the Constitution (namely, the Bill of Rights) proclaims that all citizens have the freedom to practice their religion and that there will be no laws prohibiting the free exercise of religion. Yes, absolutely, get a doctors note so you have backup. Even I could tell how hard it was for him to keep it together. I personally would quickly follow it up with oh no, hold on *RETCH* I really have to go *RETCH* and hang up. Yeah, at the last staff meeting, there was some talk of replacing our annual watch this decades-old video active shooter training (whichI hate that video so much. What's not to love? Click here for full access to" Mindfulness", Click here for full access to "Communicating with Empathy", Self Talk to Promote Wellbeing During Isolation, 5 Strategies to Reconcile With an Ex You Dumped, 5 Psychological Hacks to Deal with Reappearing Exes. Including expert advice, conversations with wise friends from all walks of life, easy ideas to try, activities to complete - and the little things that have made a difference to her own, sometimes-bumpy life - this book is a friendly reminder that Calm is a place that exists in us all, we just have to find our way back to it. What if theyre going to do it several times? 5) Dont take drill too seriously. I worked here for over 6 months before I finally found a colleague who knew the phone extension for security I couldnt find the security phone number anywhere, and no one else seemed to know either (I wanted to commit the number to memory for emergencies). Copyright 2007 - 2023 Ask A Manager. There is an entire industry built around mass shootings. 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. Sure, have trainings on the specific places at your workplace that you should go for various disasters (and which types of scenarios you should evacuate the building and which you should shelter in place), but the training should encompass various disasters, and there is absolutely NO need to have live-action drills to simulate such a traumatic experience. Not sure if this is the case for the OP, but when my previous employer planned a mandatory active shooter drill, they sent a liability release/waiver that we were expected to sign. Wed also be delighted if you shared this article and joined us on social media too! I know your boss is a big influence in your life/career now but he wont be there forever. At the time, I had an employee for whom the video would be too much. No one is filling the hallways with smoke and heating door knobs during a fire drill. First, try to schedule any conflicts well in advance so that your unit has plenty of notice. Alerting system for all employees and associated people created. Hey, would love to come tonight- would you mind picking me up? Im just old enough to have gotten out of high school with very minimal active shooter type worries. Most of them are rifles and shotguns that are used for hunting and kept locked up when not in use, with ammo stored separately, and civilians arent allowed to own semiautomatic weapons. We know which doors lock and we have a plan if there is a shooter in the hospital. The drill was ultimately canceled after my employers legal counsel also reviewed the release and advised that an employer should not be asking employees to sign it. My administrations seem to recognize that they dont actually work. one of her students went to the supply closet and distributed scissors and protractors to his classmates during a suspected active shooter event. I called my doctor and explained the situation, and she wrote a letter stating that attending the training would be detrimental to my health, with the recommendation that I be excused. Really, you could. no one is going to know that you are bluffing. Content warning for anyone who (like me) was curious about this and did google for the original news story: many of the top links I found in the google results included detailed descriptions of the fake-shooters other, unrelated charges (abuse of a minor). date went to be described later to the party host. For most permanent types of employment, workers in the United States are entitled to between 10 and 14 days of paid vacation per year. Youre busy adulting and creating the life you want and deserve, maybe you have children, have important introvert duties or youve been silently spending your evenings working on that business youve always dreamed of. When my coworkers started joking about it, I told them if they kept it up, Id go to HR. Often, the employees are the main reason why employees quiet quit their job. Jeez, people go to work to *work*, not to LARP or to do choreographed dance routines. But I like this teachers perspective that it helps her to ensure her class is ready to allow her to concentrate on the best response to an actual emergency; so I assume emergency responders have the same belief. But if thats not the case,tell them you were here (at some distant place) to pick up some workrelatedstuff,and it will be late till you reach there. I have 2 young children, not quite school aged. It's almost perfect. See you in hell. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Mass shootings have been happeing for years im sure he remembers sandy hook, Virginia Tech, etc. Scripts & Templates for Lifes Uncomfortable Conversations. I am old and also infuriated on your behalf. I really cant imagine what benefit they are to adults. Call in sick and dont ever apologize for it. It sounds like they just decided to do an active shooter drill. Joinover 3,000+ achievers who are committed to achieving their career goals! Seven hour long training/drill? He doesnt sound reasonable, and I dont think the conversation would go well. They dont even have scissors at their desks. Shortly after this, one of the fire stairwells smelled like dead rat. Repeated training hones the reflex actions needed in terrible situations. You might think this sounds a lot like thecorny my dog ate my homework excuse, but trust us. It isnt helpful. Honestly, the boss Im going to take her word for it that hes a nice guy, but hes clearly demonstrated that as far as hes concerned, failing to participate is just going to be a sign that shes everything he probably secretly believes about women and Gen Z. The familyproblem makes upthe best excuses. except that some law enforcement dont recommend doing this because in the event of an active shooter, its a high probability going to be an employee or former employee. The number of are you feeling ok questions made me never skip it again. In a real event, it takes a long time for law enforcement to secure each room. 4 You have religious obligations . Im very sorry. So. I said That was pretty intense. ] (which is, essentially, the adult version of the fire drill) and an active shooter drill (which, in my understanding, usually implies some level of re-enactment beyond what Ellis Bell (the teacher above) was describing as lockdown drills at school). I have a PhD in firearm violence and injury prevention, and while I wont say that there isnt training that could be beneficial, I will say there isnt any solid of benefit. 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. My high school did that as well. Scaring the sh*t out of people isnt helpful. This includes a family event, religious obligations, volunteer work, having a side hustle, or simply needing to rest. Your sporting team is playing in the finals. My organization has gone through several stages. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "adc1af5dd80e55ae1e3f646224ebba55" );document.getElementById("a603c4a483").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Subscribe to all comments on this post by RSS, Email (Optional will display your Gravatar). Ive been a high school teacher and used to absolutely dread the mandatory yearly training on school shootings we do in the week before school begins. The fact that we landed on lets continually traumatize victims as a preventative measure enrages me. Michelle Rennex, Culture Your boss can think you are a snowflake all he wants, but the fact is your boss is being an insensitive jerk. Be sure to provide your commanding officer with the note as soon as possible. How do you say no to working on a weekend?. Hey [Name], sorry to be that person, but Im exhausted from everything going on this week. I already know how to do nothing. Like, the drill should be a relatively calm way to practice and build some muscle memory to rely on in case the thing happens. Even so, the vast majority of cops who do carry spend their whole career without firing a shot except on the range. 1sg I disagree with college as a priority, it is an enhancement, your co/xo have been in the world long enough and know how to balance drill and school, that comes with maturity, what we are dealing with are the new generation, no concept of time management, putting things off until the last minute, I managed to get my diploma, attend drills and raise a family, it takes sacrifice, but that's me. Also also- there is no way in heck a seven hour (!??) We then had a staff meeting to discuss their concerns and a number of my staff expressed anxiety about mass shootings, workplace shootings, and what their kids went through with drills at school. A training session with law enforcement might be okay if it was structured like a q&a or generally sought to give information rather than simply a mocked up experience. A seven hour training would be insane for any work place that isnt on a military installation or the Capitol/Pentagon/etc and EVEN THEN it would be bananapants crazy. It happens so much and theres nothing we can really do about it (other than vote and organize), so \_()_/. Soif anyonewants to talk about it later,; you got yourself a listener. They also handwaved off the fact that we work in a giant glass fishbowl and cant remotely lock the doors like you can with many other buildings on campus. Im 38 now and I still think about that day with anxiety and sadness. This happened in effing Silicon Valley with the VTA shooting just 2 years ago. What do you do for seven hours? Call out sick LW. Are you getting a lot of spam which is very annoying and want to avoid them? 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. My friends kids were FLOORED to learn about the debacle in the House & Senate chambers on January 6. Im a designer-by-day whos fascinated by human psychology; youll find me learning about what makes others tick through all types of media and good old-fashioned conversation. You are sick. I started a new job recently, one where I wanted to impress and have significant imposter syndrome. When I voiced my concerns, he made a few jokes about how he would simply redirect the shooter to a younger person Just be careful not to cough or sneeze or they could actually suggest a hospital visit. Jonathan Sandahl Former Private First Class at US Army National Guard (1996-2002) Author has 503 answers and 4.3M answer views 4 y Depending on the circumstances, yes. Everyones Crying Over Adams Poem From Season 3 Of Sex Education Not to deal with the threat to the campus. This will make the time go by faster and itll be more bearable. Law enforcement continues to train others and practice drills. A book that finally understands introverts! Thankfully events like this are never mandatory at my job, so its unlikely to come up. NTRW is supported by adverts and affiliate marketing links. Dominic Perrottet Is Officially NSWs New Premier So Heres Everything You Need To Know The one I attended was for an outbreak of Avian Flu. But having mentally rehearsed what I would do, based on their previous robbery pattern, helped me get through that. Columbine happened when I was in college, so I was incredibly lucky to have missed those kinds of drills as a young person. But drill arrangements could totally be communicated to adults on an email. At my old job, most people didnt watch it. You should probably go ahead and [Insert Activity] without me. I was in a lockdown at a conference at a university. If someone has a heart attack in my vicinity, I can call emergency services or run a few hundred yards to get the defibrillator, but someone else will have to start CPR. You mean before that 9am brunch? Each year the US Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its data on volunteering in the United States. You could also make up a fake relative, or say that you knew someone who died in x major shooting event. They were rushed out of the pool without their towels (not time, not with lives at stake) and had to hide in an unheated locker room for 2+ hours afterwards. Hide in your house or go to goat yoga or whatever helps you. Doesnt matter that the only reason that day is the only day available is because you told the office to schedule it only on that day. different employees pretending to be the shooter, complete with something like a pellet gun or paint gun, one of the factory guys had a turn at being shooter and took out some aggression on management. Im gobsmacked. First thought was to call in sick. Two toddlers during Sandy Hook. And WTF is a pencil going to do against someone with an AK47. Balance this wisely. You've only watched 16 videos of veterans coming home to their dogs and you promised yourself you'd break 30 tonight. A headache isntsevere enough to render you useless for a long period of time but its bad enough that itll get you out of a social engagement. With flexible plans and countless amounts of premium content uploaded weekly, we had to mention Shutterstock. Thats so callous. His video gave at least one employee a panic attack at her desk. them how you need to fill up for one of your colleagues for an extra shi. Take the day off. Also for people who have been IN mass shootings or have experienced gun violence, these trainings can be very psychologically damaging. But last summer I had to attend one of these trainings at work (though much shorter) and I completely melted down. When watching the movie 8th Grade, the main character (and the rest of the school) was so nonchalant during the active shooter drill, I cried a little. I have AT starting Aug 7. My 18 year old brother called me in a panic because his girlfriend was in one of the buildings they thought the shooter was in, and Im pretty sure the panic in his voice is going to stay with me for the rest of my life. A peer/fellow manager can say things in a much more direct way than you might be comfortable with doing with your own boss because of the power dynamics in play. Im sorry you have to deal with this. I felt so absolutely enraged and panicky by the first 5 minutes of this asinine presentation by a law enforcement officer that I just left. How is including that supposed to change the behavior or perception of the students during an actual event in any way? I am glad we did because we learned they fancy themselves a superhero who can run through and put out fires and can stop a bad guy with the power of love. 1) Get enough sleep the night before. And I absolutely think you should do the same. If you miss a drill weekend, there are a few things that could happen. Commander's and NCO are told to have everyone present but service will not allow them to give true problem Soldiers discipline for attendance issues. should I tell my coworker about our colleagues criminal record, I deeply regret joining my companys leadership program, and more, my company is cutting my overworked teams pay as punishment for mistakes. Here are some reasons why employees quiet quit at work? Oh my god. You might still be able to get them to modify how they do the drills, and who they choose to be the instructors, etc. Without fail, some jackass tells me how terrible I look. Im sorry, but its an all-day event? All branches of the armed forces are also open to women, currently our highest-ranking female officers are lieutenant colonels. Wish me luck! then you can divert questions with details also to the oh no, im afraid its a private matter, they asked me to not divulge all the details, hey mom, would you like to have an emergency where you slip and fall and twist your ankle next tuesday. If Rainy Day was stressed by the drill, think of how they would have felt. 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. Some people either dont want any gun laws modified as they think that is the start of taking away all gun rights and also now there is such hatred for the political partyso their representatives vote against it. Heres my example: I was working the midnight shift in a chain retail pharmacy. What isnt so nice is leaving someone hanging or saying youll do something that you have absolutely no intention of doing. The light up shoes remind me of the fact that it regularly comes up in online forums for parents of kids with diabetes that you cant turn off some of the blood sugar monitor and insulin pump audible alarms, due to FDA regulations. If they can do it, so can anyone else. Because all you need to do is say these four words. Yes, there are employers who know or try to get around laws meant to protect Reservists. A good chain of command knows who these employers are as well as are able to come up with ways to work with the Soldier to deconflict. It wasnt all employees that attended, but a large number of people were part of it. (I was not told there would be role-playing including people pretending to be people with ptsd or other mental illnesses who NEEDED TO BE NON VIOLENTLY RESTRAINED. My direct boss fought it and tried to get me excused, but her boss was firm that it was required. Given that shes already on record as not wanting to participate and the boss reaction, this might be the first time I would ever consider advising someone to just no-call no-show and eat the occurrence.