Run. Hide. Fight. These are the steps to take in the event of a school shooting. Too many students and faculty across the nation have lost their lives due to active shooters, and UCC is taking steps to not only keep its community safe, but also prepare them for the worst possible scenario.
On Thursday, November 19th, the UCC community was invited to a seminar in the Krueger Auditorium concerning what to do when faced with the threat of an active shooter. Lieutenant Stuart Strater, a police officer who patrols UC’s branch campuses, and Ed Bridgeman, head of the criminal justice program at UCC, organized this event to teach people how to stay safe during a school shooting crisis.
The UCPD is trained to deal with a school shooting. In the event of a shooting, police will first determine the best safety course after evaluating the situation. The school’s administration will be briefed on the details and will send out emergency notifications to students and staff in every way possible, via email, text, Twitter and more.
Officers will arrive in waves to the school, with the first wave dealing with the threat directly and the second wave setting up a perimeter. When the officers are in the building, if you or anybody else is wounded and the shooter is still out there, the officers will make dealing with the threat their first priority. Once the shooter is neutralized, a response team will help those who need it.
If you are present during a school shooting, there are some critical steps you should take protect yourself:
Run if at all possible. This is the best option, as long as you can get out safely. Get out as quickly as you can, and get as far away as possible. If you can help others get out safely, you should, but put your own well-being first. Make sure to put your hands above your head as you run or exit a building, so no police officers will mistake you as the shooter.
Hide if you don’t think you can escape. If you’re in a room, lock and barricade the doors, turn out the lights, and stay quiet. Turn off your cell phone, and have one person call 911. Too many calls in to dispatch can make effective action more difficult for the authorities.
Fight or confront the attacker only as a last resort, and only if it is impossible to flee. But if you take this final last action, you need to commit to your action and move quickly and aggressively. Try to incapacitate the shooter, using anything around you as a makeshift weapon.
When calling 911, include all the following information:
- Your name
- The location of the shooting
- The number of shooters and their description (if you know)
- Your location
- If there are people with injuries or disabilities who need help
Though experiencing a school shooting is a student’s worst nightmare, everyone needs to be prepared, and the steps outlined above are meant to do just that.
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