The FBI defines an Active Shooter as an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area. Tragically, active shooter incidents at schools continue to climb. While there is an abundance of information on practical, preventative measures, less is written on how to respond to an active shooter.

Mark Van Holt is the president of Platinum Protection Group, Inc., a national security corporation. He is also a southern California law enforcement executive with over 29 years of service. For the last 12 years of his career, he has served as the second in command of a large school police department responsible for protecting over 50,000 students and 5,000 staff members. On December 17, 2012, only 3 days after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, he lead a small coalition of California police officers to Newtown, Connecticut where he met with the first responders. Since his return, Mark has given his “Lessons Learned: the Sandy Hook School Shooting” presentation to dozens of law enforcement agencies, fire departments and school districts.

In this article, Mark shares vital information that every student, teacher and parent should know about reacting to, responding to and surviving an active shooter on campus.

On December 14, 2012, the unthinkable happened again in small town America. A lone gunman shot his way through the glass windows of an elementary school office and shot and killed the principal, five teachers and 20 elementary school kids. The principal and teachers died valiantly, sacrificing their lives in the face of a heavily armed mentally deranged intruder.

Each day, millions of parents send their kids to school with the expectation they’ll return home safely at the end of the school day. Sandy Hook, Columbine and the dozens of other deadly school shootings are but distant memories and rationalized as, “it can’t or won’t happen here.” While the fact is your kids are safe at school, no one can predict when and where the next school shooting will occur. The tragic reality is there will be another school shooting.

The principal of Sandy Hook Elementary had done all the right things. She ordered the front door locked after the morning bell rang. She installed a camera and intercom system at the front door so the front office staff could vet visitors prior to entering the campus. They routinely practiced their lockdown drills. The question is then, what more could have been done to prevent the shooter from entering Sandy Hook Elementary? The answer is, sadly, nothing at all.

Until society places a greater value on protecting our most valuable assets, schools will continue to be the soft targets they are. While perimeter fencing, locked gates and doors offer a modicum of security, none of these physical solutions will deter an active shooter from carrying out his or her plan. If we accept that fact, then the focus for surviving an active shooter must be placed on responding and reacting to the incident once the active shooter has entered the campus.

Released in the aftermath of the movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado, the City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security developed an Active Shooter training video titled, “Run, Hide, Fight." While the "Run, Hide, Fight" video was filmed in an office setting, geared toward an adult audience, the tenets of the video are equally applicable in a school setting. It is important to highlight that the “Run, Hide, Fight” paradigm should never been seen as a linear option. One must not run before hiding, or hide before fighting.

An active shooter incident is not a fire drill. The protocols for an orderly evacuation need not be followed. Distance between the shooter and potential victims offers the best chance of survival. While it is certainly possible multiple shooters are involved, statistically speaking, active shooter incidents usually involve only one assailant. If it's possible to determine the location of the shooter, and a viable escape route is identified, get out! Get as far from the school as possible and take refuge. Dial 9-1-1.

If evacuation via the main door is not a viable option, smash a window and climb out. Teachers or staff members should be the last to leave the room ensuring that every student is accounted for. Personal belongings should be left behind. As emotionally difficult as it will be, the seriously wounded and nonambulatory should be left behind; they'll slow the group down. If possible, leave them a cell phone on silent mode.

As students and staff members are running away from the campus, it's highly likely responding police officers will be running in. If shots are still being fired and the incident is active, law enforcement officers will not stop to render aid. Fleeing students and staff members should keep their hands up and visible and be careful not to make any quick movements. The officers will most likely be armed with assault style rifles and will be moving swiftly to the sounds of the gunfire. They are trained to end the threat and only after the threat is mitigated will they begin to tend to the injured.

For those who are unable to safely exit a room or building, the next best chance for survival is sheltering in place and locking down. Hopefully, the school has retrofitted the door locks so the door can be locked from the inside. If there is a window in the door, the window should be covered with a piece of paper or anything else that will prevent the shooter from looking in. As many desks and chairs or any other large items should be moved in front of the door. After the door is barricaded, move away and avoid bunching up in large groups. Silence all cell phones and wait for law enforcement to give the all clear.

If escape is not viable and the location is vulnerable to attack by the shooter, the only remaining option is to fight back. Those capable and able to fight must be committed to disarming and subduing the shooter. They must act aggressively. Look for items in the classroom that may be used as improvised weapons such as a fire extinguisher. Work together as a group and swarm the assailant. Fight as if everyone's life depends on it; it does!

Parents and guardians should demand that their child's school has a comprehensive active shooter plan and that they regularly practice active shooter drills. Schools should be working closely with their local law enforcement agency, providing the police or sheriff’s department with current maps of the campus and master keys. While not every school can afford an armed police officer or security guard, schools should have at least one adult identified as a school safety officer or campus aide.

For schools with multi-storied buildings, it is highly recommendable that every classroom above the ground floor has at least one collapsible fire ladder. Collapsible fire ladders will allow for an exterior escape if the gunman is occupying the interior hallway outside the classroom. Each classroom should have a first aid kit, a flashlight and bottled water for extended shelter in place incidents. Panic buttons in each classroom, or personal panic devices for each teacher are also highly recommended. Large school grounds, with multiple buildings should be clearly identifiable by large building numbers. Responding police officers can't be slowed trying to reference a map to locate a particular building. Every school district should clearly mark their buildings with large block numbers visible on at least two sides of the building.

In closing, any report of an active shooter, especially at a school, will have every available police officer within miles and from surrounding jurisdictions responding post-haste. And while the closest officers may be only minutes away, minutes matter. How teachers, staff members and students respond prior to their arrival could mean the difference between life and death.

Columbine forever changed the way law enforcement responds to an active shooter incident. My hope is the tragedy of Sandy Hook is the catalyst for change in our public and private schools.

Mark A. Van Holt
President
Platinum Protection Group, Inc.
A Professional Security Corporation
www.platinumprotectiongroup.com
800-824-1097