(image credit: Nick Klotz)

In the case of an active shooter situation, people are often confused on how to respond. On April 10 in Walker Auditorium, Public Safety provided answers.

Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) training teaches faculty and students how to respond in the case of an active shooter situation. Kevin Lee and Dan Reilly from Public Safety gave this lecture to a group of people to make sure others are prepared for a dangerous situation.

The lecture mainly discussed the Run, Hide, Fight system. In the case of an active shooter situation, they advised to do one of these three procedures as the situation allows.

Run if the shooter doesn’t sound close and an exit is in sight. While running, make sure to steer passersby away from the danger zone and find somewhere safe to be as you wait for responders.

Hide if necessary, such as if the exit is not clear or you are trapped in a room. Use furniture to barricade the door, turn off lights and keep quiet.

The final system is to fight if absolutely necessary. If there is no way out and the shooter is coming close, use fire extinguishers and any surrounding items that can be picked up to defend oneself.

Reilly and Lee also advised attendees to keep away from people in the vicinity when it comes time to speak to authorities. This is important when communicating with law enforcement to help them identify the shooter. Mingling with others could mix up stories. The sooner a definitive story gets sorted out the sooner the suspect can be caught.

This all comes in light of recent shootings such as the Parkland shooting, “Everyone has to work together as a team to get through these traumatic events and support each other,” said Dan Reilly of Public Safety.

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