Active Shooter
An active shooter incident (ASI) involves one or more persons using a firearm, engaging in a random or systematic shooting spree. The vast majority of shootings in this country are over in a matter of minutes, involve persons known to one another and are confined to a particular area. An ASI does not follow this template. It may last minutes or hours, range over a large and constantly changing area, and threaten everyone within close proximity of the shooter(s). Persons may or may not receive advance warning of a shooter. A witness, personal observation or the sound of gunshots may be the only alert you receive, leaving little time to react. The sound of gunshots, unlike special effects in movies and television, may sound muffled and make a "pop, pop, pop" noise. It is reasonable to assume that a series of such noises are gunshots and you should begin to take necessary precautions. The traditional response to this type of incident has been to shelter-in-place and wait for the police to arrive. While this type of response is not completely wrong, case studies of several active shooter incidents have shown that using only this response has resulted in concept failure, leading to an increase in casualties. The "A.L.I.C.E." response plan has been identified to assist you in your response should this type of incident occur.
A.L.I.C.E.
"A.L.I.C.E." is an acronym for 5 steps you can utilize in order to increase your chances of surviving a surprise attack by a shooter. It is important to remember that the "A.L.I.C.E." response does not follow a set of actions you "shall, must, will" do when confronted with a shooter. Your survival is paramount in this situation. Deal with known information and don't worry about unknowns. You may use only 1 or 2 parts of the response plan or you may have to utilize all 5. In this type of incident, your perception is the reality. You will be deciding the appropriate action to take. Unlike traditional lockdown plans, A.L.I.C.E. is not linear and you can use whichever of the tactics best fits your current circumstance.
Alert
Can be anything:
- Gunfire
- Witness
- PA Announcement
- Phone alert
- Flash Alerts
Lockdown
Barricade the Room. Prepare to EVACUATE or COUNTER if needed.
- Lock the door, if possible
- Barricade the door with anything available (desks, chairs, etc.)
- Turn off the lights, if possible
- Do not close the drapes or blinds if the threat is inside the building. Police need to see into the building. Tie down the door, if possible, using belts, purse straps, shoe laces, etc.
- Look for alternate escape routes (windows, other doors)
- Cover any windows in the door if possible
- Call 911
- Move out of the doorway in case gunfire comes through
- Silence or place cell phones on vibrate
- Once secured, do not open the door for anyone. Police will enter the room when the situation is over
- Gather weapons (coffee cups, chairs, books, pens, etc.) and mentally prepare to defend yourself or others
- Put yourself in position to surprise the active shooter should they enter the room
Inform
Using any means necessary to pass on real time information
- Given in plain language
- Can be derived from 911 calls, video surveillance, etc.
- Who, what, where, when and how information
- Can be used by people in the area or who may come into it to make common sense survival decisions
- Can be given by “Flash Alerts”, PA Announcements or Police Radio speakers
Counter
This is the use of simple, proactive techniques should you be confronted by the a shooter
- Anything can be a weapon
- Throw things at the shooters head to disrupt their aim
- Create as much noise as possible o Attack in a group (swarm)
- Grab the shooters limbs and head and take them to the ground and hold them there
- Fight dirty; bite, kick, scratch, gouge eyes, etc.
- Run around the room and create chaos
- If you have control of the shooter, call 911 and tell the police where you are and listen to their commands when officers arrive on scene
Evacuate
Remove yourself from the danger zone as quickly as possible
- Decide if you can safely evacuate
- Run in a zigzag pattern as fast as you can
- Do not stop running until you are far away from the area
- Consider going out a window, decide if the drop to the ground is too far
- Break out windows at the top corners and attempt to quickly clear glass from the frame
- Consider using belts, clothing or other items as an improvised rope to shorten the distance you would fall
- Hang by your hands from the window ledge to shorten your drop
- Attempt to drop into shrubs, mulch or grass to lessen the chance of injury
- Do not attempt to drive from the area
Secondary Issues
- Responding Police will have their weapons drawn and ready for use. They may not know exactly who the shooter is and will probably point weapons at you. Remain calm and follow any directions they may give you. You may be asked questions, searched and given orders to exit.
- Responding Police are there to stop the shooter as soon as possible. They may bypass injured people and will not help you escape. Only after the shooter is stopped will they begin to provide other assistance.
- If you come into possession of a weapon, do NOT carry or brandish it! Police may think you are the shooter. If possible, put it in a trashcan and carry it with you. If you come across police, calmly tell them what you are carrying and why. Follow their commands. It is also ok the leave weapons behind. Do not attempt to carry rifles.
- Be prepared to provide first aid. Think outside the box. Tampons and feminine napkins can be used to stop blood loss. Shoes laces and belts can be used to secure tourniquets. Weighted shoes can be tied around a person’s head to immobilize it. Remember it may be several hours until can safely move an injured person. The actions you take immediately to treat them may save their life.
- If you are in lockdown for a long period of time, give consideration to issues such as bathroom use, keeping people calm, etc.
- Discuss beforehand with people in your office or classes where you will meet up should you have to evacuate; make it a place easily accessible and far away from the scene.
- Talk to your students and co-workers beforehand to know if they have any special skills. Consider strategic placement of these people in a classroom or office setting. You may have current or ex-military personnel, medically trained persons, or even people trained in martial arts that can provide assistance in this type of incident.
- Consider setting up classrooms and offices to make it harder for a shooter to enter and acquire targets.