What would you do in an active shooter event?
“We want the public to feel confident and safe as much as possible,” James Keith, director of external relations for ALERRT at Texas State University, said.
If you go into a restaurant, be aware of your surroundings. Pay attention to the exits. Make sure that you know all of your options on how to escape a room quickly.
“If something feels off, don’t ignore those instincts,” he said. “We’re not saying walk around scared, but be prepared.”
WHAT TO DO
“The biggest thing that we preach and that we try to get into people’s mindset is remember to avoid, deny and defend. Those three words are critical,” Keith said.
AVOID: Escape the area if you can. “If you hear a gunshot, get out of there. If you hear something that you think is a gunshot, get out of there. You can always find out later if it was a false alarm.”
DENY: If escape is impossible, hide and create barriers to entry. “Move furniture up against the door where that person can’t get a hold of you.”
DEFEND: Fight back only as a last resort. “Your life is going to depend on it if those first two steps are not an option. Fight for your life and do whatever you’ve got to do to try to stop that person.”
Visit alerrt.org/CivilianResponse for more information.
