Nope. I second Alisons phrasing of opting out as a prediction of the future, not as a request: I will not be participating, so how should we proceed? The most serious consequence of missing a drill weekend is getting drummed out of the reserves. I rarely wish for a like button. Im so sorry youre dealing with this, OP, and that your boss made a joke about directing a shooter to you. As I'm boarding the plane I thought for sure I was going to die or wanted to. That's fine. I interned at a plant that had an annual disaster training day where they would pick one scenario and do a full day simulation + training on it. He doesnt care about his employees feelings. There is a debate you can maybe find evidence of online as to whether this is effective. how do I get out of an active-shooter drill at my office? I didnt read through all of the comments, so perhaps this is addressed upthread. Anyway Ive been thinking about it a lot recently because of the Oxford and MSU shootings. We have to let the videos play and take multiple quizzes to get a certificate, but Ive now done them enough that I can let the video play while not really paying attention, and my anxiety has disappeared over the trainings. After last years training, TPTB had to send out an email noting that something the trainer suggested was against the systems safety standards, so theres that. Just call in sick that day. My kid survived by diving under their desk and huddling there, shaking, as the shooter stalked the room looking for more targets, listening to the screams of their colleagues who had been shot, and expecting to die in the crossfire once law enforcement arrived. excuses to get out of drill weekend - shantisrl.com Its basically go to X room if you can, use Y furniture to block the door, use Z panic code on the phones to silently call law enforcement to your location. Would a forklift operator be able to opt out of forklift classes on the same grounds? -Get together with some friends and head to the range. Its probably an insurance thing. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. But youve already established your workplace isnt likely to be reasonable. There is no active shooter education for the workplace that should take seven hours, unless maybe if your workplace is law enforcement or something where you will be the ones actually dealing with a shooter. Im actually a SME in this area and you are so unbelievably incorrect. Were going to have people sit in a conference room and a deputy will speak. These drills get elaborate heck, the one at the middle school in my town a few weeks ago had a police helicopter overhead so that the kids knew thatd be a standard thing in the event of a real shooter. My friend who worked at Harrods was in the Harrods bombing. Even worse was what they advocated we teach kids they expected that we would teach 5-year-olds to run in a zigzag pattern across the playground and show them a safe location to run to (like the next school down the street), or discuss the possibility of an active shooter with them every fall. something to consider! In one, most of it occurred in the park across the street from campus (which was lovely, and we always had to tell new students that it looked nice, but it was Not Their Park), and wed get a text alert to stay away from the windows on that side of campus. They are known to induce anxiety in participants, and theres no evidence that they really help much if you find yourself in an actual active shooter situation. Afterwards, I refused to go down there alone again, and thankfully none of my shift supervisors gave me a hard time about that. who have been through it. Correct. Precisely, More Training Needed. I also doesn't hurt that our founder has a little store on there Donating to Never the Right Word willhelp us produce more free content. excuses to get out of drill weekend Dear god. So long that the lights went out. There is zero reason to be doing this training. 11 Ingenious Ways To Get Out Of Plans, From A Professional Flake Ive even had to go so far as to use a very light dusting of a slightly purple-y matte eye shadow to emphasize the dark circles under my eyes for one job (company was populated by a LOT of ex-military). You do not need to hear gun shots or see people play dead or whatever simulated shenanigans people want to insist on. How horrible. My youngest told me as an incoming kindergartner that she shouldnt but the cool light up shoes for school. Jenna Guillaume, 9 Foolproof Excuses To Get Out Of Your Weekend Plans, All The Funniest Reactions To Facebook And Instagram Shutting Down For Six Hours, Dominic Perrottet Is Officially NSWs New Premier So Heres Everything You Need To Know, All The Hidden Clues In Squid Game That Pointed To That Twist Ending, All The Best Squid Game Memes For Those Still Reeling After That Twist Ending, Everyones Crying Over Adams Poem From Season 3 Of Sex Education, Heres The Correct Way To Binge The Marvel Cinematic Universe In Chronological Order. Im Amy, and Im the person behind Never the Right Word. Stealing superficially affable for later use. The simple answer is that if you are ADMITTED to the hospital then it will probably be an acceptable excuse. This seems to be a growing problem. Because they want to LARP like something out of a movie. Local law enforcement trains other law enforcement organizations. This is typically one weekend a month, plus two weeks during the summer. Weekends are usually the time when we schedule important family gatherings like weddings, christenings, birthday parties, and anniversary get-togethers. Didnt we have one round up/commenter who had a super-nosy boss who wanted to know all the details for calling out sick, and she called the boss as she was praying to the porcelain throne? We were located in an area where street violence was a significant risk. Her lashes arent jet black! -Your job prevents you from attending (you must provide documentation from your employer) 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. But I don't anymore. At their large school, the directive is that 3rd+ need to get off campus and run out to the neighborhood by any means possible. (I am not being facetious or flip or glib here run means get away from the situation. That said, we have surprisingly few firearm-related incidents here, given that Finland has the most guns at home per capita after the US and Yemen. Either, they will be worried, or angry, or blatantly say 'no' to your suggestions of going away. I left the room and the trainer told me if I didnt participate I wouldnt pass the course. Some people believe working on the weekends is bad for your productivity. Hes a cruel person, who happens to be nice to you. Without fail, some jackass tells me how terrible I look. Youve successfully canceled every plan you had for this weekend. Forums Id feel the same way. One of the victims was paralyzed instead of dying and there was a lot of stuff about how tragic this was, implications that it was worse than death Not much fun when youre a physically disabled teenager being forced to attend this event. 2) Bring snacks and drinks with you so you dont get hungry or thirsty during drill. Unfortunately, David is your work colleague, and this party is a big deal for him. excuses to get out of drill weekend - bbjtoysandbeauty.com But its hard, if not impossible to learn anything when in the throes of a panic attack or PTSD symptoms. The babysitter just called and told me she c. nt make it today Thats all you need to say to them. They did this at a local mall. If not, why is this particular emergency getting such outsized priority? Im so thankful I dont go to that mall anyway; now I have yet another reason to avoid it. We just went through a mass shooting event at my university, and I can tell you the only information we really needed was to follow campus alerts, and to know the safe locations in our building to lock down. Guessing they will breakout into groups and tour the building to find safe places to hide or ways to block paths. Career success can be easy only if you know how. 3. That said, there is a little bit of the risk involved because either y, ou will end up making them feel bad or you. 3. You Had a Flat Tire 10. I hope the party goes well; perhaps we could catch up on another day/ perhaps I could buy you a drink to make it up to you? Im in my late 40s and Columbine happened very late in HS for me so I must admitId be a person who would not have anticipated this reaction. My elder kid went through a shooting at their workplace a few years ago. time. If your employment requires that you work on the weekend, organizing a spontaneous weekend away might not be possible. The two are not the same. If you have a family or work obligations that conflict with your drill weekend, there are a few ways that you can get out of it. Alternatively, its too difficult to talk about also works. With flexible plans and countless amounts of premium content uploaded weekly, we had to mention Shutterstock. Ive been doing lockdown drills since kindergarten, which changed to explicit active shooter drills when I was 11. For many of us, a side hustle allows us to: If you have the passion, stamina, and ability to have a successful side hustle, having your weekends free to pursue it is a legitimate excuse to avoid weekend work. But I like a little theatre. And it sure as hell wont take 7 hours. Again her choice is individual and different, but I am glad her workplace is partnering with them so that others who many never have had such drills (me included, 7 workplaces over 30+ years and I have at most had video training) have that opportunity. -You are sick or injured (documentation from a doctor may be required) Whether or not your weekend work is a regularly scheduled shift or some overtime thanks to work that was not completed during the week, asking for time off to attend an important family event is perfectly justifiable. Whatever. 9 drill periods in one year it typically starts the discharge process. Sure, but like, a real fire evebt would also take a lot longer than a fire drill takes, and I dont think anybody ever suggests that fire drills should be lengthened to be more realistic. I was in a lockdown at a conference at a university. He had no sense of humor about such things. I ended up going through orientation like four times, and in later ones I just stepped out of the room for that part. Not to mention, what are people with physical disabilities supposed to do? I have heard some people talking about more training as a solution to prevent a similar event in the future and it makes me want to scream. A text like this will save you up from any long unnecessarydetails, especially if you cant come up with any other genuine sounding excuses at that moment. Because all you need to do is say these four words,and the magic will work. I graduated high school a few years before Columbine, but can still completely empathize with what people who are younger than me have been through. That said, carrying a concealed weapon is forbidden, and most cops only carry a taser unless theyre dealing with something like a hostage situation. So its a surprise, but not TECHNICALLY because they told everyone about it in advance. My direct boss fought it and tried to get me excused, but her boss was firm that it was required. As Alison suggested in bullet point #2, if there is a second-in-command at your job, even if you dont directly report to that person, consider talking to them. Im now almost 36 and Ive never held a gun, and aside from police (who have it bolstered), Ive never seen a gun in real life. Please take a sick day, or do whatever else you need to do to take care of yourself. BUT I also think theres a major difference between walking through lets all identify the doors wed need to lock and the spaces wed want to hide in [our offices / work spaces we frequent / etc. We shouldnt be expecting children to go thru this. Bring your creative projects to life with ready-to-use design assets from independent creators around the world. Seven hours?! Because Labor Day is around the corner and we're all thinking about that coveted three-day weekend, we thought we'd come up with a list of the Top 10 Excuses to Get Out of Work, brought to you by Bloodsucking Bastards, a comedy/horror film featuring the one office you'd like to work in even less than your own. If you also skip the second cup of coffee your ability to be perky and focused will fade through the day (confirming that the dreaded no makeup flu is getting worse!) The whole experience just changed the entire trajectory of their career and also the field of emergency preparedness. Ive heard a couple of guys who have played too many FPS games talk about how theyd save the day. If you have a valid reason, such as work or school, you can request an exception to miss a drill weekend. Never did an illness/epidemic one, which is too bad, because the covid response here was pathetically weak for the first year or so. I grew up in the Seventies and Eighties in the UK with the IRA. My heart goes out to you, OP. Yes. It doesnt matter what people think. Yelling about justice on the Internet and casting anemic votes isnt going to work. Adults with postsecondary qualifications will earn significantly more than those with only high school education, so it is a recognized pathway to a more comfortable life with a stable income. THIS. This is horrific. For many units, one of these traditions is Drill Weekend. Drill Weekend is a chance for soldiers to get away from the daily grind and focus on training. They are however, sadly outdated since most of us are remote workers now. 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. For more info, please see our Earnings Disclosure. date went to be described later to the party host. Emergency response training can be very useful because the correct thing to do can vary for different scenarios and in different buildings (go to x interior room in a tornado, versus get out of the building via the stairwell in a fire, call campus police first and then 911 or vice versa for a medical emergency). The first time the drill happened, even knowing in advance, I had a breakdown and had to ask my Dean to leave for the day in tears (she knows my history with this topic). you may be) and youve found that youve hit a certain point where things have taken a massive swing. And the ironic part: stress can lead to a higher frequency of migraines, even in people taking a preventative medication, so it would actually be quite possible I might actually wake up with one if I were in OPs situation. This article may contain affiliate links. It also can depend on what training is going on. (This shooting range has since gone on to have neo-Nazi ties and host fundraising events with certain family members of certain politicians. Fire drills are better, but even so I wonder how much of them Id be able to put in practice if I could actually smell the smoke from a fire. I doubt it. The familyproblem makes upthe best excuses. Thanks for that i now have the Byker Grove theme tune stuck in my head, which made me think of 90s Ant and Dec and now ive also got Lets Get Ready to Rumble looping around in my stupid, sleep-deprived brain! Security performance theater indeed. A side hustle is any job that you do in addition to your normal or main source of income. I am sorry that you have to go through the process of saying noit should not be that hard to opt out and if they push back, it is wrong on so many levels. If you do, there can be some pretty serious repercussions. In that case, the advice to advance schedule a dr appointment for that day applies. Have a good gaming night! It has nothing to do with any practical benefit, IMO. How are those guys SO obvious, and yet everyone still keeps believing them when they say theyre not Nazis? My Dad was a St. John Ambulance volunteer when he was younger, and was a casualty in drills more than once. Im sorry that anyone has to deal with this. I really hope this changes some day in the US. 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. this training means theyll know all the plans. This excuse is exclusively for ladies and its fantastic because nobody asks questions. excuses to get out of drill weekend - rootedgames.com Anyone else attending Berklee College of Music? We have not been told the training is mandatory, but when I asked my boss and expressed some preliminary discomfort, he said we all need to participate. Just remember, an employer or client doesn't have to accept these excuses. So better use that if its the 20. or later of the month. My 1st grader and her classmates knew all the hiding spots in their school and when they built a model school classroom as a project, insisted they put several into their creation. 4 You have religious obligations . OP, Im sorry you have to deal with this. In cases like your school its more important that the adults know what to do than showing kids what to do/where to go. The whole realistic reenactment thing makes people in charge feel like theyre doing more than they are. Yeah, do an internet search for Catholic Charities and active shooter. One time my office decided to do an escape room as a team bonding exercise. A FULL DAY training is incredibly excessive and triggering, unless you think people dying is funny. Stuff like this is why Im glad I always bring up early in any employment situation my chronic history of migraines; its true, but its also a convenient excuse as needed if not used too often in that fashion. We didnt have ours as often, and the threat seemed a little more distant, but some of those early ones were poorly handledand (given what weve read about the boss in question) I think letter writers office one sounds like it has the potential to be as well. Typically blanks are fired inside of the building (sometimes without specific warning) to simulate real scenarios. I did see those and book.arked them all to read and to support my reasons for making the training optional. The social aspects of man-caused tragedy (shooters/bombings) aside (which I agree with others that acceptance this is the new reality is wrong, will require better funding for mental health/social support/etc that I can vote for), it has been demonstrated time and again that reading about what to do is NOT the same level of preparedness as drills. Most workplace active shooters are targeted. Perhaps it is the most powerful excuse and totally legit, but just imagine how lame you sound when your . I havent read all the comments, but this makes me truly ill. To be fair, I was already angry on your behalf before reading this letter. Call me paranoid, but I cant think of a bigger threat to security than announcing an all-day active shooter drill in advance. Literally every soldier here has multiple stories they can tell similar to this. 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. LW, your boss has shown you who he really is. * I am at a loss as to how any sort of effective drill could possibly take that long. Even seasoned writers need a helping hand at times, thats why we trust Grammarly Premium. LW didnt really mention it as an option, though, so Im wondering if both her PTO and Sick leave is limited. Hey [Name] Im really sorry to leave you hanging, but my dad just got into to town and Ive got to be on good daughter/son duty. Just flat out no. My work has a (pretty upsetting) active shooter training video they play at new employee orientation. Theres a difference between practicing things so you can do them in an emergency, such as CPR, and traumatizing people so theyre more likely to panic when confronted by real danger. This is considered a valid excuse and your commander should work with you to find an alternate solution . I had to call out that day for a family emergency. The best way to make the most of your time in the Drill Army Reserves is to get involved with your unit and fellow soldiers. Anything for a buck is pretty disgusting sometimes. Scripts & Templates for Lifes Uncomfortable Conversations. The next year they just showed a video, called Run, Hide, Fight. We started calling it Run, Hide, Die as a joke, if only because if we didnt laugh at it we would all have gone insane. CW3 Walker, we must agree to disagree. It doesnt need to replicate the emergency as realistically as possible. All rights reserved. What I really want is to skip it entirely but if I can, how do I explain this request/decision to my boss without disclosing my mental health struggles, explaining (in vain) the anxiety I feel about this training, or looking like the only person not tough enough to participate (as the only woman in my department)? They are not going to find out; unless they know your father very well. Thats ridiculous! We were about 1hr 25 min away. We managed to cover fire, health emergencies, active shooters, bomb threats, weather evacuations, you name it, all in the span of a couple hours. You haven't started studying for your exam tomorrow. These are typically held one weekend per month, and they can last anywhere from 8 to 12 hours. And weve had a former employee fired for making death threats, who did come back to cause trouble at least once, who would know where all the exits are if he was going to do something worse, I also have been dealing with bomb threats and shooter drills since middle school. All The Best Squid Game Memes For Those Still Reeling After That Twist Ending We did an active shooter drill at my organization and I thought it would be similar to the same drills I grew up doing (also a millennial) but it was so much worse than I imagined. I was irate several years ago when I found out an unqualified emergency management person made his own active shooter drill video and sent it to all staff at my agency. A good excuse should be true and should not be a fake obligation or illness created for you to get out of work. Mass shootings have been happeing for years im sure he remembers sandy hook, Virginia Tech, etc. Being broke sucks and everyone knows it. Not a drill, but my church employer, with school and preschool attached, had us all watch a video of a shooting simulation at a school. Agree. You have a medical issue an active shooter drill is detrimental to your mental health. A drill period is usually one 4 hour period. How many weekend drills can I miss as a reservist before they - Avvo My civilian job is very accommodating to me for any of my needs. But it might be helpful to do so. Excuse 2 | You Punctured Your Tire. Also: Now after 30 years, trying to get out of teaching. LW, I know youre worried that your boss will call you triggered or a snowflake or otherwise weak, but it is in fact very strong a brave to calmly stand firm at your limit. My school responded with were going to ring the fire alarm at X time, dont go outside, its too cold and this is ridiculous anyway. Thankfully it was a cold winter and after a few temperature reports to whoever mandated it and a lot of angry parents (especially at other schools who did make kids stand outside on a day that was probably -10F), that stopped. Often when you are communicating at work, youll need to write a formal email to a coworker, HR, or client. You are studying 7. When we had to do one I brought that up that statistically if theres a shooting theres a strong chance it will be by an employee or student and they just handwaved it off. 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.