Stouffer: Responding to an Active Shooter

The Saline County Criminal Justice Center recently published a report on responding to an active shooter. James Simmerman, director of the center, has prepared and shared this information in response to the tragic shootings in Arizona.

Although I pray that no citizens in our area ever have to deal with this kind of situation, it is very important folks are educated and prepared to do so.

An active shooter is an individual who is actively engaged in shooting with the means to kill people in a confined and populated area. These shooters are very unpredictable and evolve quickly. These situations are often over within 10 to 15 minutes, and before law enforcement can arrive at the scene; individuals must be prepared to deal mentally and physically, with the situation.

When an active shooter is in the vicinity, it is important for folks to determine the most reasonable way to protect themselves first. In a small business setting the customers and clients are likely to follow the lead of the managers and employees of the business. If at all possible, we should be prepared to attempt to evacuate the vicinity of the shooter, or hide out in an area where you can lock or barricade the door.

If individuals are hiding in a room away from the shooter, they should immediately silence cell phones or any other electronic device and then call 911. Leaving the line open so the operator can hear what is going on is also a good idea. If individuals are able to speak to the operator, they should provide them with the location of the shooter, the number of shooters, a physical description of the shooter, the number of weapons, and the number of the potential victims at the location.

If a business does not have an emergency action plan, it is a policy to consider implementing. When creating this plan you should ask for the input of other people in your community, such as local law enforcement, emergency responders, and property managers. Employees should also practice and train for any type of emergency.

It is important to remember this type of emergency can happen anywhere, even in rural communities. Being prepared could save lives – even our own.

My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. I pray they are able to find the strength and courage to share their story and continue to be active members of their community after this devastating experience.