Having A Plan For Active Shooter Situation Is Essential

Tyler, TX – The school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, where a teen killed 19 children and two adults, marks the 27th school shooting in 2022. And if that’s not heartbreaking enough, according to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been over 200 active shooting occurrences this year. BBB reminds consumers to be prepared and provides an overview of active shooter protocol. Likewise, BBB encourages employers of all sizes to participate in active shooter preparedness training.

“Unfortunately, in this day and age,” Mechele Agbayani Mills, President, and CEO of BBB Central East Texas, said. “Conducting active shooter training and creating a plan to react to these types of emergencies are essential.”

The following tips come from Mark Seguin, founder, and CEO of TBG Solutions, Inc.

Run

• Leave your belongings behind.
• Put as much distance as possible between you and the shooter.
• Remember, windows are an escape option.
• Run outside the building if possible and find protection there.
• Split up; you are an easier target for a shooter in a group.
• Keep your hands visible to law enforcement.

Hide

• Hide in closets, bathrooms, or in the ceiling (If the room has ceiling tiles, you can push them up and climb into the attic).
• Lock and barricade the door, either by tying the door shut with a belt, cord, or rope, piling furniture in front of it, or tying a rope to a piece of furniture that is wider than the door if the door opens outward.
• Silence your phone. Keep in mind that your cell phone ringing or vibrating will alert the shooter to your presence. Never assume others will call 9-1-1. Law enforcement needs as much information from as many different perspectives as possible. Only call 9-1-1 if you are sure the shooter isn’t close enough to hear you.

Fight, and fight unfair.

• You can use many everyday items as improvised weapons to distract or incapacitate the shooter. For example, throw cell phones and laptops at the shooter to distract them. Use fire extinguishers directed at intruders in the face as a distraction or hit them. Even use a pot of hot coffee as an effective tool to incapacitate the shooter temporarily.
• Have an active shooter kit that includes fire extinguishers, hammers for breaking a window or throwing at the shooter, rope to tie doors shut, and long-range pepper spray.
• Hide behind the door and grab the shooter’s legs as they enter.
• Please turn off the lights and place obstacles to trip the shooter as they come in.
• Be aggressive and commit to your action. If you hesitate, it could mean your life.

When law enforcement arrives, remember to remain calm, drop everything from your hands, keep your fingers spread, and never touch the officers. It will help avoid confusion in what will likely be a heated situation.

Have a plan of action for each place you frequent, including your own home. It’s essential to know and practice what you will do ahead of time. Plan where you will run, hide, and how you will fight if needed.

For more tips on being a savvy consumer, go to bbb.org. To report fraudulent activity or unscrupulous business practices, call BBB at 903-581-5704 or notify it via BBB ScamTracker. To register for BBB’s next Active Shooter Preparedness Training for Employers, go to bbb.org.