The following guidelines are intended to reduce our personal risk in the unlikely event that an Active Shooter Incident should occur on campus.
If you are outside a building when an event occurs, you should take immediate cover, preferably inside a building, circumstances permitting.
If you are in a building when an event occurs, you should:
Secure Immediate Area
- Lock and barricade doors.
- Do not stand by doors or windows.
- Turn off lights.
- Close blinds.
- Block windows.
- Turn off radios and computer monitors.
- Keep occupants calm, quiet and out of sight.
- Keep yourself out of sight and take adequate cover/protection (i.e., concrete walls, thick desks, filing cabinets -- cover may protect you from the shooter).
- Silence cell phones.
- Refer to maps for secure areas for your respective buildings.
Un-Securing an Area
- Consider risks before un-securing rooms.
- Remember, the shooter will not stop until they are engaged by an outside force.
- Attempts to rescue people should only be attempted if it can be accomplished without further endangering the persons inside a secured area.
- Consider the safety of masses versus the safety of a few.
- If doubt exists for the safety of the individuals inside the room, the area should remain secured.
- Know all alternate exits in your building
Contacting Authorities
- Use emergency 9-911.
- Dial 5000 from any campus phone. Be aware that the Campus Safety phone number will likely be overwhelmed.
What to Report
- Your specific location -- The Library address is: 1028 Bruin Blvd. and room number.
- Number of people at your specific location.
- Injuries -- number injured, types of injuries.
- Assailant(s) -- location, number of suspects, race/gender, clothing description, physical features, type of weapons (long gun or hand gun), backpack, shooter's identity if known, separate explosions from gunfire, etc.
Police Response
Objective is to engage assailant(s) immediately.
Evacuate victims.
Investigation.
Figure Out
How are you going to survive?
Will you get out? Is there a path of escape?
Will you hide out? Is there a chance to get to where the shooter may not find you?
Is your only option to take out the shooter?
Get Out
- Move Quickly -- don't wait for others to validate your decision.
- Leave belongings behind.
- Survival chances increase if you are not where shooter is or go where he/she can't see you.
Call Out
- Inform authorities.
- Call 9-911 and tell them name of shooter (if known), shooter description, location, number and type of weapons.
Hide Out
- May not be able to get out. Shooter could be between you and the only exit. Would have to enter area where shooter is positioned.
- Hiding place. Well hidden and well protected. Avoid places that might trap you or restrict movement.
Keep Out
- Find a room that can be locked with objects to hide behind.
- Blockade door with heavy furniture.
- Turn out lights; become totally silent.
- Turn off noise producing devices.
- Call 9-911 (if you can do so without alerting the shooter).
Spread Out
- If there are two or more of you. DO NOT huddle together. Gives you options and makes it harder for the shooter.
- Quietly develop a plan of action in the event the shooter enters.
- Remain calm. Can have a contagious effect on others. Keeps others focused on survival.
Take Out
- Assume shooters intentions are lethal.
- Shooter will succeed in killing all those with whom he/she comes in contact, UNLESS you stop him/her.
- Develop a survival mindset that you have "what it takes" to survive when your life is on the line.
- You must be prepared to do whatever it takes to neutralize the threat. Throw things, yell, and use improvised weapons. If there are two or more of you, make a plan to overcome the shooter. Do the best that you can -- to survive.
