Campus Guide to Active Shooter

1. Campus Guide to Active Shooter MCLNO Police Department

2. Guide to Active Shooter • This guide will make you familiar with the term “active shooter.” • It will help you learn what to plan for and expect.

3. What is an “Active Shooter?” • Simply – an “Active Shooter” is a person who is trying to kill as many people as possible, usually for no particular reason.

4. Police Response to Active Shooter • The police department will try to stop the threat as quickly as possible. • Before special units arrive, patrol officers will start looking for the shooter. Officers will work in teams of four whenever possible. As the priority is to eliminate the threat, officers will work in smaller groups, or alone, if necessary.

5. Police Response to Active Shooter • Officers will try to get as much information as they move through the building: • They will ask where you heard the shots from and what you saw. • Officers will need quick answers.

6. Police Response to Active Shooter • Officers will not search room to room. • They will move quickly towards the sounds of shots/screaming. • They will only search rooms when they cannot hear anything.

7. What Are Your Responsibilities? • Depending on where you are in the hospital, you should try and do the following:

8. What Are Your Responsibilities? • Do not sound the fire alarm. A fire alarm will tell people to leave the building and place them in danger as they attempt to exit. • Turn off radios, televisions and other audio equipment. Put cell-phones on vibrate or silent.

9. In a Classroom, Office or Similar • If you are in a classroom, room or office, STAY THERE, secure the door. • If the door has no lock and the door opens in, a good heavy door wedge can be kept on hand or you can look for heavy furniture to put behind the door. • If the door has a window, cover it if you can.

10. In a Classroom, Office or Similar • If the Police have not arrived, move well away from the scene and find a safe place to hide. • When police arrive, keep your hands up and do exactly what the Police tell you to do.

11. In a Classroom, Office or Similar • You may have information that Police Officers will need. Once you are in a safe place, stay put. • If the windows don’t open, or you cannot break them, or you are not on a ground floor, get out of sight from the door and stay low and quiet.

12. In Hallways • If in the hallways, get in a room that is not already secured and secure it. • Don’t run through a long hall to get to an exit - you may encounter the gunmen or hostage taker.

13. Trapped with the Gunmen • If you are trapped with the gunmen, don’t do anything to upset them. • If they are not shooting, do what they say and don’t move suddenly. • Only you can decide what you will or will not do to save your life or the lives of others.

14. Trapped with the Gunmen • If they do start shooting people, you need to make a choice, (at this point it is your choice) • stay still and hope they don’t shoot you • run for an exit while zigzagging • or even attack the shooter. • Running or attacking are very dangerous, but no more than doing nothing and dying in place. • A moving target is much harder to hit than a still one and the shooter won’t expect to be attacked by a person without a gun. • Any choice might still have a negative outcome.

15. Trapped with the Gunmen • This is NOT a recommendation to attack the shooter but rather a choice to fight when there is only one other option.

16. Open Spaces • Stay alert and look for good places to hide - brick walls, large trees, retaining walls, parked vehicles and any other object which might stop a bullet – are good places.

17. Unsecuring an Area • Keep rooms secure until police arrive and tell you what to do. • Consider the safety of everyone versus the safety of a few. • If you are unsure about the safety of everyone in the room, the area should remain secured.

18. What to Tell Law Enforcement • Your location: building name and office/room number. •  Number of people where you are. •  Injuries: number injured and types of injuries. •  Suspects: location, number of suspects, race/gender, clothing description, physical features, type of weapons (long gun or hand gun), bags carried, shooters identity if known, separate explosions from gunfire, etc.

19. IMPORTANT • Program the Hospital Police 24-hour emergency number (504-903-6337) into your cell phone. Always notify the police department as soon as it is safe to do so.

20. Remember: • These safety tips do not cover everything, but if you understand them, they can increase your chances of surviving an active shooter incident.