Survival Mindset

1
Active Shooter Response Training On the School
Bus

• Survival MindsetCourses of Action

2
Topics for Discussion

• Run, Hide, Fight Video
• Emergency Management
• Profile of an Active Shooter
• Indicators of Potential Violence
• Situational Awareness
• Course of Action
• LEO Response
• Prevention
• Summary
• References

3
Run, Hide, Fight

• http//www.lawofficer.com/video/news/run-hide-figh
  t-active-shooter

4
Emergency Management

• Four Phases of Emergency (Crisis) Management
• Mitigation/Prevention addresses what schools and
  districts can do to reduce or eliminate risk to
  life and property.
• Preparedness focuses on the process of planning
  for the worst-case scenario.
• Response is devoted to the steps to take during a
  crisis.
• Recovery deals with how to restore the learning
  and teaching environment after a crisis.

5
Profile of an Active Shooter

• An individual, or group of individuals, actively
  engaged in killing or attempting to kill people
  in a confined and populated area
• Active shooters use firearm(s)
• No pattern or method to their selection of
  victims
• Could be anyone

6
Profile of an Active Shooter

• Consequences are potentially catastrophic
• Incidents over quickly (10-15 minutes)
• First line of defense
• Action taken by personnel on-site is the most
  effective way to stop the killing
• Establishing a proper mindset and tools to react
  with purpose is called Survival Mindset
• Odds of ones involvement in workplace violence
• One in One Million

7
Profile of An Active Shooter

• Common Myths
• Out of the blue
• Never saw it coming
• He just snapped
• Most situations will resolve themselves if given
  a cooling off period
• Warning signs are always predictive of
  violentbehavior
• Violence is random, spontaneous, and unpredictable

8
Profile of An Active Shooter

• Realities
• Threats are almost always present
• Leakage, warnings made through comments
  (intentional or unintentional) can reveal clues
  to feelings, thoughts, fantasies, or intentions
  that may result in violence
• Erratic/abnormal behavior is a principle warning
  sign of future violence
• Bullying is often a stepping stone to violence
• The path toward violence, is an evolutionary one
  with signs posted along the way (indicators)

9
Indicators of Potential Violence

• Offenders
• Increased use of alcohol and/or illegal drugs
• Often exhibit angry or argumentative behavior
• Unexplained increases in absenteeism
• Depression / withdrawal
• Blame others for their problems
• Repeated violations to policy and procedures
• Fail to take responsibility for their own actions
• Increased severe mood swings
• Retaliate against perceived injustice

10
Indicators of Potential Violence

• Other Concerns
• Increasingly talks of problems at home
• Increasing belligerence
• Behavior which is suspect of paranoia everybody
  is against me
• Hypersensitivity to criticism
• Recent acquisition/fascination with weapons
• Talk of previous incidents of violence
• Empathy with individuals committing violence

11
Indicators of Potential Violence

• Other Concerns (Cont.)
• Preoccupation with violent themes, video games
• Interest in recently publicized violent events
• Outburst of anger
• Extreme disorganization
• Noticeable changes in behavior
• Homicidal/suicidal comments or threats

12
Indicators of Potential Violence

• Suicide
• Putting things in order
• May not be perceived as a threat to others
• Serious danger sign
• Described as violence directed inward
• Many campus shootings end in offender suicide

13
Indicators of Potential Violence

• Motives
• 61 motivated by desire for revenge
• 75 felt bullied/persecuted/threatened by others
• Statistics
• 93 of attackers engaged in some behavior prior
  to the attack that caused others to be concerned
• 93 of attackers planned out the attack in
  advance
• 95 of attackers were current students

14
Situational Awareness

• Shootings can occur anytime, anywhere, to anyone
• Unlike any situation ever experienced
• Bottom Line You need to take direct
  responsibility for your personal safety and
  security
• Survival Mindset is a protective shield
• Comprised of three components Awareness,
  Preparation, and Rehearsal

15
Situational Awareness

• Survival Mindset Components
• Awareness
• Gain a basic understanding of situation
• Be aware of your environment and any possible
  dangers
• Take note of the two nearest exits in any
  facility you visit
• Predetermined mindset will help you take rapid,
  effective actions

16
Situational Awareness

• Survival Mindset Components (Cont.)
• Preparation
• Looking at your school environment through the
  lens of survival
• What if questions are critical in developing
  effective response strategies
• Survivors prepare themselves both mentally and
  emotionally to do whatever it takes to survive
• Rehearsal
• Mentally or physically practicing your plan
• Will reduce response time and build confidence
• A survival inoculation

17
Situational Awareness

• Life-Threatening Risk
• Any action taken, or not taken, during an
  active-shooter incident may involve
  life-threatening risk
• Survival Mindset
• Will provide a strong foundation upon which to
  base decisions and actions

18
Situational Awareness

• Figure Out
• How are you going to survive?
• Will you get out (Run)? (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 (fight) the
  shooter? Last resort!

19
Course of Action

• Survival Mindset
• Enables you to act quickly and effectively
• Mindful, not fearful
• Airline safety briefing
• Better able to make that first, critical
  decision
• Continuous Assessment Process
• Allows you to take appropriate survival action
• Use all senses
• Trust your intuitionthat gut feeling (knowing
  without knowing why)

20
Course of Action

• Get Out (Run)
• Move quickly dont wait for others to validate
  your decision
• Leave belongings behind
• Survival chances increase if you are not where
  shooter is or go where he cant see you
• Call Out
• Inform authorities
• Call 9-1-1 and tell them the name of shooter (if
  known), shooter description, location, number and
  type of weapons

21
Course of Action

• Hide Out
• May not be able to get out
• Shooter 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

22
Course of Action

• 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 9-1-1 (If you can do so without alerting the
  shooter)

23
Course of Action

• Spread Out
• If 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

24
Course of Action

• Take Out (LAST RESORT)
• Assume shooters intentions are lethal
• Shooter will succeed in shooting all those with
  whom he comes in contact, UNLESS you stop him
• 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, use improvised weapons
• If two or more of you, make a plan to overcome
  the shooter
• Do the best that you canchoose to survive

25

• Arm Yourself with a Survival Mindset

26
Law Enforcement Responders

• Interacting with Law Enforcement Responders
• DO NOT expect officers to assist you as you get
  out
• Primary job is to locate the shooter and
  neutralize the threat
• Medical assistance will follow once the threat is
  neutralized
• Law Enforcement must assume everyone is a threat
  to their safety
• Be prepared to
• have weapons pointed in your direction
• be subject to search
• be handcuffed
• Be questioned

27
Law Enforcement Response

• Interacting with Law Enforcement Responders
• When Law Enforcement officers enter the room, do
  not present a threat to them
• DO NOT
• Point at them or the shooter
• Make quick movements
• Run towards them or attempt to hug them
• Scream or yell
• Have anything in your hands officers are taught
  that hands kill

28
Law Enforcement Response

• Interacting with Law Enforcement Responders
• DO
• Raise your arms
• Spread your fingers
• Show hands as you drop to the floor
• Spread arms and legs

29
Response On A School Bus

• Be observant of the environment you travel by
  each day, fall back on your First Observer
  Training.
• Situational Awareness
• Safety and Security Plans
• Fall back on your training to react (think
  quickly)
• If you see something that is not right at the bus
  stop as you pull up, (guy with a gun) dont stop,
  continue to drive pass the stop and call dispatch
  with your observations.
• If you have already stopped and something
  happens, Remember to KEEP CALM
• We have LIMITED options in the confined space on
  the bus

30
Response On A School Bus

• Limited Options
• Take Action RUN, HIDE, FIGHT
• If something just doesnt seem right at the stop,
  dont make the stop, continue past and call
  Dispatch for assistance.
• If you stop and something happens, Depress RED
  Emergency Button
• Remember, help is on the way once the button is
  pushed
• Dispatch will contact you over the radio and if
  no response, LEO will be called and you will be
  tracked using AVL/GPS
• If possible, leave radio microphone in the Keyed
  Open position.
• If demands are made, follow the demands.
• Hiding is not an option for us at this point.

31
Response On A School Bus

• As the absolute LAST RESORT, Take Out the threat
• If the weapon was used (Shots fired), you have to
  assume the shooters intentions are deadly
• Shooter will succeed in shooting all those with
  whom he comes in contact, UNLESS you stop him
• You must be prepared to do whatever it takes to
  neutralize the threat
• Throw things, yell, use improvised weapons
• If you can, make a plan to overcome the shooter
• Do the best that you canchoose to survive
• If possible, students should exit the bus using
  the emergency exits and runto safety

32
Response On A School Bus

• When Law Enforcement Responds
• DO
• Raise your arms
• Spread your fingers
• Show hands as you exit the bus
• Spread arms and legs

33
Prevention

• If suspicious or uncomfortable, report your
  observations and feelings See Something, Say
  Something
• Violence and threats of violence
• Often result from frustration and a communication
  breakdown
• Individuals can make a difference
• Listen to troubled individual
• People want to be heard and understood
• A safe campus is everyones responsibility

34
Prevention

• Warning Signs
• Administrators should probe to discover if the
  subject has engaged in research, planning, or
  preparation (e.g., researched weapons or made
  attempts to obtain a weapon). Movement from
  thought to action represents a severe escalation
  of the risk of violence. Use the Districts
  Threat Response Procedure.
• Approximately 80 of school shootings at least
  one person had information that the attacker was
  thinking about or planning the school attack. In
  nearly 66, more than one person had information
  about the attack before it occurred. In nearly
  all of these cases, the person who knew was a
  peer, a friend, schoolmate, or sibling.
• Despite prompt law enforcement responses, most
  attacks were stopped by means other than law
  enforcement intervention.
• Be conscious of the Werther Effect, defined as
  a duplication or copycat of another suicidal act.
  School shootings are typically well-publicized,
  sensationalized events that can trigger an
  increase in similar acts for roughly days or
  weeks after the attack.

35
Summary

• See Something, Say Something Tell a supervisor
  Use the District Threat Response Procedure for
  all threats
• Recognizing the sound of gunshots
• Reacting quickly when gunshots are heard or when
  a shooting is witnessed
• Run
• Hide
• Fight (Take Action)
• Call 911
• Reacting when Law Enforcement arrives
• Adopting the survival mindset during times of
  crisis

36
References

• Safety Guidelines for Armed Subjects, Active
  Shooters Situations, Indiana University Police
  Department, April 2007
• Safety tips and guidelines regarding potential
  Active Shooter incidents occurring on campus,
  University of California Police
• Workplace Violence Desk reference, Security
  Management Group International
• How to Plan for Workplace Emergencies and
  Evacuations, US Department of labor, OSHA 3088,
  2001
• Active Shooter, U.S. Department of Homeland
  Security, Oct 2008

37
An Active Shooter Course

• DHS Course, Active Shooter, What You Can Do,
  Response to an Active Shooter Training (Online)
• http//training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/IS907.asp

38

• Questions?
• http//www.youtube.com/user/ushomelandsecurity