Black Friday Sale! 50% Off All Access

Learn This Navy SEAL's Plan to Survive an Active Shooter Attack As the nation mourns these horrific deaths, Brandon Webb shares vital safety advice.

By Dan Bova

Entrepreneur+ Black Friday Sale

Our biggest sale — Get unlimited access to Entrepreneur.com at an unbeatable price. Use code SAVE50 at checkout.*

Claim Offer

*Offer only available to new subscribers

Joe Raedle | Getty Images

This article was originally published October 4, 2017

As a former U.S. Navy SEAL and head sniper instructor, Brandon Webb helped train Chris Kyle and some of the most elite snipers in SEAL history.

Now as founder and CEO of Hurricane Media (whose subscription Crate Club focuses on being prepared), Webb regularly shares insights he gained serving our country that can be applied to business and everyday life.

In light of recent violent tragedies, Webb reached out to us to share safety advice that sadly we all need to keep at the top of mind. Entrepreneurs frequently travel to unfamiliar cities and are often in places with large crowds. Webb's years of training and serving in dangerous parts of the world helped form this simple framework to increase your chances of staying safe. "If you love your family and friends then you need to share this with them, it could save their lives," Webb told Entrepreneur.

Related: CIA Operative's 9-Step Hotel Safety Checklist

These tips were edited for clarity and length.

  1. As a former military guy and a SEAL, I'm a big fan of the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) rule when it comes to planning. The important thing is to have a plan that everyone knows and can follow.
  2. Establish a leader who makes the decisions in an emergency. Everyone knows to follow the leader: Dad, mom, your boss, whoever is most comfortable taking this role.
  3. Run like hell. It's extremely hard to hit a moving target. Snipers train hours to do this with skill. For someone who is nervous, or is an amateur, it will be very hard to hit a moving target, especially under stressful conditions. You need to create as much distance as possible between you and the shooter.
  4. Hide only as a last resort, and with the idea that you will eventually need to move. If it's a single shooter, listen for lulls in gunfire. This could indicate a weapon jamming or the shooter is reloading. Either one creates an opportunity to run and distance yourself from the shooter and escape with your life.
  5. Know the difference between cover and concealment. Cover is stuff like concrete, large planter beds and columns -- things that actually stop bullets. Concealment -- hiding behind tables, glass and curtains -- will not keep you safe.
  6. Have a communications plan (who is going to call or contact who) and a rallying point in case people are separated. This should be clear and simple: the entrance coffee shop down the block, the entrance to the parking lot, etc.

Related: The Mindset That Helped This Navy SEAL Turn Failure Into Success

Dan Bova

Entrepreneur Staff

VP of Special Projects

Dan Bova is the VP of Special Projects at Entrepreneur.com. He previously worked at Jimmy Kimmel Live, Maxim, and Spy magazine. His latest books for kids include This Day in History, Car and Driver's Trivia ZoneRoad & Track Crew's Big & Fast Cars, The Big Little Book of Awesome Stuff, and Wendell the Werewolf

Read his humor column This Should Be Fun if you want to feel better about yourself.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

DOGE Leaders Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy Say Mandating In-Person Work Would Make 'a Wave' of Federal Employees Quit

The two published an op-ed outlining their goals for their new department, including workforce reductions.

Growing a Business

Build a Business That Will Sell: From Valuations to a Successful Exit

Join us for this free webinar and learn how to develop a business that buyers will find irresistible.

Business News

Barbara Corcoran Says This Is the Interest Rate Magic Number That Will Make the Market 'Go Ballistic'

Corcoran said she praying for lower interest rates and people are "tired of waiting."

Money & Finance

Why Donald Trump's Business-First Policies Trump Harris' Consumer-Centric Approach

President Donald Trump's pro-business agenda is packed with policy moves encouraging investment to drive economic growth. The next Congress has a unique opportunity to support entrepreneurship and innovation, improving U.S. competitiveness with the rest of the world.

Business News

The Two Richest People in the World Are Fighting on Social Media Again

Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk had a new, contentious exchange on X.

Business News

Here's How Much Money You Need to Make in Order to Be 'Successful,' According to Each Generation

A new survey by Empower outlines how Americans of different ages define success.