Ed Monk’s Book “First 30 Seconds” Is A Must-Read For All Americans

I recently read Ed Monk’s First 30 Seconds: The Active Shooter Problem on a long-haul flight, and I couldn’t put it down. This book tackles America’s active shooter crisis with a clear goal: minimizing casualties through practical, evidence-based strategies. It’s blunt, politically incorrect, and refreshingly honest. It’s a must-read that challenges conventional thinking.

Perhaps I should be embarrassed by it, but I didn’t know who Ed Monk was before I read this book. Mr. Monk is a retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel with extensive experience in planning military operations. He’s a “gun guy” who owns a training and consulting company in the security space. He also happens to be a former teacher at a public high school. This combination of life experiences has given him a unique perspective, and it comes through in his book, “First 30 Seconds.”

The book is written with clarity using straight and simple language. It’s cogent.

It makes the following case:

1. America has an active shooter problem, and the country has failed to honestly address the problem.

2. The current default response to the problem – calling 911 and waiting for armed intervention – has failed miserably. Yet, organizations and institutions rely on it after decades of evidence to the contrary.

3. The default response system has resulted in high casualty rates.

4. This high casualty rate is a function of “TIME AND MATH.” Like a physics formula, the horrible results are guaranteed. The bulk of the casualties happen during the first 30 seconds of an attack.

5. If the high casualty rate must be lowered, the default response must be ditched and substituted with an immediate violent intervention.

6. Monk uses “TIME AND MATH” to propose alternatives to the default response that can be tailored to an organization or institution’s needs.

The book uses hard numbers and logic to make the above case. For example, on Page 54, Monk mentions that it takes 30-60 minutes to alert, assemble, gear up, and transport a SWAT team to an Active Shooter scene. This number should open the eyes of anyone who thinks SWAT is a reasonable solution. (As an aside, when the 2008 Mumbai terror attack happened, India’s National Security Guard (NSG) commandos had to be flown from New Delhi to Mumbai. It took 10 long hours, allowing the Jihadi terrorists free rein to do as they pleased.)

The book has insightful quotes sprinkled throughout the book that will get the reader thinking. And it has several traumatic stories to drive the message home. 

The book addresses active shooters at schools, places of worship, and public events. With several “case studies,” Monk dissects and analyzes what happened, why it happened, and what could have been done differently. In case after case, Monk’s diligent and thorough research shows that stopping an attacker within the first 30 seconds can limit victims to single digits, whereas delays lead to significantly higher casualties.

Monk addresses the tendency of nonviolent people to believe that nonviolent “solutions” (or delegating the violence to others) will solve what is inherently a problem of extreme violence committed by someone who doesn’t share the core nonviolent disposition of ordinary people.

Standout chapters include:

“Boogie-Man Arguments”: A sharp takedown of trite objections to armed response strategies.

“Individual Options”: Practical advice for individuals, especially parents and students, emphasizing independent thinking in crises. If you’re a parent, have your kids read it. Monk also correctly criticizes the “Run, Hide, Fight” and proposes a realistic alternative: “Fight, Flee, Barricade.”

“3 Options for an Organizational Plan” and “A Focus on School Policy, Planning, and Training”: Detailed guidance for institutions, particularly schools, to implement effective response plans.

“Church Attacks”: A sobering call for places of worship to prepare for violence. Every person who practices any religion in America must read it to protect their place of worship.

“The assault weapon distraction”: Monk dismantles the “assault weapon” myths and shows why focusing on them is useless and counterproductive.

My favorite quote on Page 171 of the book sums up America’s current approach to the Active Shooter problem:

“Any man can make mistakes, but only an idiot persists in his error.”

– Marcus Cicero

Most Americans aren’t idiots. I hope people realize the colossal error that’s being repeatedly committed around the country and fix it. This book will help them do so.

I urge everyone to read, “First 30 Seconds.” It’s a vital resource for schools, religious institutions, and communities. Buy a copy, share it with local leaders, and encourage them to read it with an open mind. Evil can strike anywhere, anytime, so it’s incumbent upon us to be prepared. (Note: I purchased this book myself and have no affiliation with the author or Amazon.)

Editor’s Note: The gun control lobby and their allies will stop at nothing to enact their radical gun control agenda and strip us of our Second Amendment rights, making all of us less safe.

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