When Seconds Count

With regard to the Binghamton shooting...

You've all hear that old chestnut, "When seconds count, the police are only minutes away."

It illustrates that the police can't protect you effectively until they arrive, and that you should consider self defense measures like sidearm when looking to preserve your safety from the depredations of predators.

Well it needs to be added to, "When seconds count, the police are only minutes away, and then they'll just wait around outside for a few hours until the hubub dies down."

Now that isn't entirely fair. Since Columbine, the police in this country have changed policies and are more dynamic in situations such as this. But the policy change seems to be applied sporadically. But do you live in one of the precincts that waits around, or is dynamic? Do I? Dunno. That would seem to be an important bit of information to know, wouldn't it?

And if dynamic, it still doesn't account for that set of time before the cavalry arrives when you have to shift for yourself.

And even in friendly CCW jurisdictions there are always going to be places where you are disarmed by statute, and predators know where these places are. Sorta goes against a motto I have: "Be Prepared." (And I've sloughed off on other areas of this motto. For instance, I need to put a fire extinguisher in my car...)