Unfortunately, the phrase “active shooter” has become a part of our vocabulary and in our everyday thoughts. We have to plan escape routes or a course of action when we go to our work places, the movies, the mall, church and school. I have taken some awareness and preparation classes that I found very helpful, and slightly scary, but informative.
I learned that there is no single stereotype for an active shooter. An active shooter can range in age, sex, color and status; they could be anyone. Over the last 10 years, there have been 160 active shooter events. Agencies are now saying, “If you see or hear something, say something.” Several indicators that someone could be a potential threat include withdrawal from everyone, having angry outbursts and increased use of alcohol and/or illegal drugs. Potential triggers for an active shooter can range anywhere from losing a job to “I hate Mondays,” as one active shooter stated. Most events contain only one active shooter, but there have been a few events that have had more than one active shooter.
The following are three important things to remember during an active shooter event:
1. Run – If possible, run for an exit if it is safe to do so. Encourage others to exit the building
as well. Do not linger and try to take anyone who is hesitant or refusing to leave.
2. Hide – If you cannot get out of the area/building safely, then hide. Try to lock doors or barricade
doors if possible. Turn cell phones down with no vibration.
3. Fight – If all other options are not available and your life is in danger, then fight. Grab any items
nearby to try to overcome the shooter or to throw at him or her. Give it all you have.
When you are coming out of a building with an active shooter incident and law enforcement is outside, be sure to hold your hands up in the air with your fingers spread. Law enforcement does not know who the active shooter is and will consider everyone a suspect. Place any items you have on the ground and remain calm. Avoid any quick movements toward officers. Law enforcement may question you or pat you down. If you saw the active shooter, identify clothing that he or she may have been wearing and physical characteristics such as gender, race, height, etc. Also, let law enforcement know if there is only one shooter or multiple shooters and where they were headed. This is all helpful information to law enforcement. Law enforcement will focus on the shooter and not the wounded. Be aware that they are there to take care of the imminent danger first, not to take care of the wounded. After law enforcement has the situation under control, they will allow paramedics and other agencies into the building/area.
All training or preparedness will mention that it is a good idea to have drills. One exercise in which I participated at MacArthur Mall really opened my eyes to how “educationally scary” an active shooter drill really can be. The event was held in coordination with the Norfolk FBI, the Norfolk Police Department (including the Bomb Squad and the SWAT team), the Norfolk Fire Department, and other various organizations such as the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) of Norfolk. My daughter and I volunteered to be involved in the exercise because we are members of CERT. We rode The Tide from Newtown Road to MacArthur Mall. The exercise occurred after 10:00 p.m. and ran through most of the night. The scenario was seven terrorists had taken over The Tide and then invaded the Mall. They were using blanks in handguns and sawed off rifles. They had flash bombs and set them off in the parking garages. The drill reinforced to me the importance of knowing where your exits are and possibly what not to do the next time I am involved in a drill or a real active shooter event. Also, the man who “shot” my daughter and me was sitting in front of me on The Tide. I did not profile him as an active shooter and it made me rethink my first impressions of people.
There are numerous free awareness and preparedness classes in the area. Most cities, for example, have programs for preparedness. Check with various organizations and civic leagues about free training or drills. Communities also offer Police Citizens Academies that provide free training that also allows people to see what our police officers do. You can Google “Police Citizen Academy” in your hometown to see if your community offers one. The following two links may prove useful as well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VcSwejU2D0
http://search.dhs.gov/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&affiliate=dhs&query=active+shooter
As the Isle of Wight Sheriff recently stated in a presentation on how to prepare for active shooters, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” This Benjamin Franklin quote has taken on additional meaning today as we address the challenge of active shooters.
About the Author
Tammy Nolette is a Senior Security Administrative Associate at General Dynamics NASSCO Norfolk, where she is responsible for employee access, badges and a wide variety of security functions. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association (CPAAAN) and is a member of CERT of Norfolk and InfraGard. Tammy has a Ham Radio License (KM4CSI).