Recent terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino are driving a significant increase in requests concealed weapons permits and people arming themselves to protect their families.

“I felt like I was in a line at Kennywood (amusement park) for a concealed weapons permit,” Rob Brown, who waited an hour to secure a permit from Pennsylvania’s Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, told WTAE. “I thought it would be a 20-minute process.”

Allegheny sheriff’s officials told the news site they’ve been overwhelmed with requests for concealed weapons permits since the terrorist attacks in Paris Nov. 13 that killed 130 people, and things only got worse in the wake of this week’s deadly shooting in San Bernardino, California.

“I just think the world’s changing a little bit,” Brown said. “You just want to protect yourself and your family. There are a lot of crazy people out there.”

Long lines for permits have also formed at Pennsylvania’s Lackawanna County Sheriff’s Office, WNEP reports.

“I would say we saw a 30 percent increase immediately following the Paris attacks,” Lackawanna deputy Earl Van Wert said. “They’re looking to make themselves feel more secure both at home and when they’re on the streets.”

“You never know who’s going to do something, so you have to be prepared,” said Scranton resident Larry Hickernell, who received his permit Thursday. “It’s nice to have thoughts and prayers for (victims of terror attacks), but someone that could do something could have possibly stopped it. And so maybe I could be that person.”

Carbondale resident Joseph Rinaldi said that’s why “24-7, I carry every day, everywhere I go.”

“I would hope that maybe by carrying my weapon it might prevent many people from getting hurt,” he said. “Possibly I could stop the shooter.”

The rush for concealed weapons permits was also on in Spokane, Washington, where about 40 people applied immediately after the Paris attacks, and another 50 flooded the city’s public safety building for permits this week, KXLY reports.

The office was apparently so overwhelmed with applications Thursday it was forced to close early.

KXLY reports that on Black Friday – prior to the San Bernardino attacks and amid reports of a Colorado Springs shooting – the FBI ran a record number 185,345 background checks for gun purchases, or roughly two per second.

Keith Savage, owner of Braverman Arms in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, told WTAE he’s also witnessed a flood of new customers after the recent terrorist attacks, including many people who never before considered owning a gun.

“One family said that they drove by for 20 years and knew we were here, and they never did anything,” Savage said. “They came in looking for actually a couple guns.”

Customers said “that they have been worried about (terrorist attacks) happening here, and that they wanted to prepare themselves and arm themselves so they are not caught with nothing to defend themselves or their family,” Savage added.

The San Bernardino attacks “I think are a piece of” what’s driving citizens to weaponized, concealed permit applicant Brown said, “but also the events around the world, and the way things are changing. … We in the United States have a false sense of security sometimes.”

And private residents aren’t the only ones suggesting that more guns is the answer to protecting against terrorists, the National Fraternal Order of Police recently urged the NFL to allow retired and off-duty police officers with permits to carry concealed weapons into stadiums, Fox News reports.

“Well-attended venues and areas are being deliberately targeted by the radical killers who do not intend or expect to survive the assault,” FOP President Chyuck Canterbury wrote. “Law enforcement, even when working actively with highly trained and skilled security professionals, cannot be certain that all threats will be detected and neutralized.”