Self-preparation is key to acting in risky situations such as a shootout or assault with shots, experts say

She prepared one of her favorite foods for her so as not to create a negative, scary environment. Once at the table they began to speak, with examples, of the insecurity that exists in the country and especially in Guayaquil. The robbery of his neighbor, in the north, and the boy who died on Sunday the 17th in an assault, which ended in a crossroads of bullets, while waiting for his ice cream in a southern restaurant were part of the family conversation.

“If they ask you for the toy that you like a lot, the cell phone with which you play …, you have to give it, We can buy that again, get it back ”, the parents, Teresa and Xavier, told their 9-year-old son, to whom they also commented that if they are victims of an assault they should not run away, that if there are shots they should duck immediately, as they have seen in the movies, among other suggestions that she found on the internet due to the concern generated by the tragic event on Sunday, because it can happen to any person or family.

With the crime wave on the rise it is necessary to know what to do in dangerous or unsafe situations like those that are currently lived and that can be given on the street, in restaurants, in shopping centers, in squares, in a cyber, in banks or in any public or private space.

Child died in the middle of a confrontation between police and criminals in the Centenario neighborhood, in the south of Guayaquil

And for this self-preparation is key, which includes drills or practices, just as they are done in cases of earthquakes; self-care; and follow safety tips such as what to do in case of shootings, mention professionals in these matters interviewed by this newspaper.

Among the most important recommendations in cases such as shootings or gunshots they consist of throwing oneself to the ground; do not run because the shots could hit you and kill him as happened with the child who was waiting for his ice cream on Sunday the 17th; don’t argue, stay calm; do not record or photograph the situation to avoid being hit by a bullet lost or that criminals shoot him directly when they see the action he is taking, agree the experts consulted.

The strategies will also depend on the type of event. Thus, if it is an assault or shooting, citizens are asked to remain calm, not shout; but In the event of a kidnapping or that they want to take, for example, a child or adolescent there, they should shout, ask for help, make the so-called tantrums and they must learn to throw themselves immediately to the floor or slip down to hinder the action of the antisocial, they indicate.

Shooting in the Guasmo; the Police faced a group of criminals who entered to rob a cyber

“We are in a city of very high violence at the moment, we aspire for it to be something temporary. But the care and precautions that as citizens we must have and we must teach our children that must remain, is the most important thing. They have to be taught … as a kind of simulation to tell them: ‘we are going to practice what we are going to do’ (in case of…). Don’t just say it, you have to practice; show them pictures; explain to them what are the possibilities (in the face of insecurity scenarios); how to find a safe space; what is a safe place; what can protect you and what cannot ”, explains Zoraya Bohórquez, clinical psychologist, master in forensic psychology and who works as an advisor and expert in these fields in the judicial field.

And he adds that with the event on Sunday, where the child died, the alerts have to be raised and that work must be done in order to observe and analyze what happened in that event, what were all the factors that had an impact on such a result. This in order to prevent similar situations.

On risky occasions, there are adults and children who do not know what to do. And this happens, according to specialists, because before it was not common to face this type of event, since it was understood that we were relatively “a country of peace.”

Bohórquez indicates that just as situations change, “our behavior also has to adapt to it in order to preserve life, which is what interests us the most.”

For Lieutenant Colonel in passive service Rodrigo Braganza, Chief of Security of the Espiritu Santo University of Specialties (UEES), it is vital that citizens learn to take care of themselves, to protect themselves. And in case of shootings or hearing the shots, the best option is to throw yourself to the ground, he maintains.

“It is not recommended to protect yourself behind a wall because there are stray bullets that they can hit the same wall and by rebound they can hit the person”, He says, and adds that on the ground it is less risky.

Avoid wearing accessories, such as jewelry, or items in your hands, such as cell phones; go to places that have security cameras and be close to them; do not go out as a precaution late at night, nor go alone; Handing over goods in the event of robbery and not resisting or struggling with criminals, among others, are also part of self-protection actions in times of public insecurity.

To those who have cars, Braganza recommends buying and having a cell phone that costs $ 20 on the market, but whose battery takes a little over five days to discharge. This device, which must have a chip and credit, must be hidden in a place in the vehicle that only the owner knows. And it will serve you in case of assault, express kidnapping or theft of your car.

“If they want to take the car to you, don’t resist, don’t struggle because they can shoot you and kill you. Give them the vehicle and then contact the Police and tell them that you have a hidden cell phone and give them the phone number. Now those phones can be traced and they can be located, you are not putting yourself at risk and you are adopting a good security measure ”, explains the lieutenant colonel in passive service.

Another specialist says that on outings with children, adults should always carry them by the hand, to avoid even topics such as kidnappings or that minors get lost. If they are holding the adult’s hand, there is also the option of reacting and protecting them in the event of shootings.

To explain to them and implement self-protection measures, the age of the child or adolescent and the profile or temperament they have must also be considered, which can also be measured at home, for example, hiding from the sight of children, but without stopping observing them, to know how they react and then work on that.

In shootings or assaults with shots, you also have to know how to orient yourself, distinguish which is the exit door or available exits and be very observant, experts advise.

More recommendations given by experts consulted by this Journal

• Draw a plan or route to follow in various criminal situations. And do exercises at home or at home on how to act.
• In case of shootings or assault, you have to throw yourself to the ground or crouch. It’s the safest.
• In the event of shootings, do not run away, shout or panic. You also don’t have to hide behind doors like wooden ones, because bullets go through it.
• Do not hide behind walls in case of shots because the bullets can ricochet off the wall and can injure or kill you.
• Do not photograph or record criminal actions or those that are taking place in the event of shootings.
• Do not leave children alone or with a child or a minor.
• Do not send children to run errands or shop alone in stores, supermarkets and others.
• On the street, in businesses or shopping centers, children should always be holding the hand of an adult in the family, to prevent them from getting lost, taken away or from running in terror in the event of events such as shootings or shots. since they can go through and kill them.
• If someone wants to take the child or adolescent, they can sneak down, lie on the floor, throw tantrums and yell with keywords as help, they rob me.
• Do not carry items and objects, such as cell phones in your hands, that can tempt criminals.
• Do not force or resist an assault or robbery.
• In cars, go along the central road and always observe the surroundings through the rear-view mirrors.
• Walk the wrong way.
• Do not publish details of activities or the sites you are on through social networks. Photos can be posted a day or two later.

∗ Tips given by Zoraya Bohórquez, clinical psychologist, master’s degree in forensic psychology; Rodrigo Braganza, head of Security of the UEES and for the security company Mac Security. (I)