How to survive in an active shooter scenario

By: Brian Shlonsky Email
By: Brian Shlonsky Email

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) -- Hysteria, panic and fear are just some of the words associated with a mass shooting, but if one were to happen in a mall, school or office where you worked, how would you put those emotions aside to try and survive the attack?

Tuesday's shooting at a mall in Portland, Oregon, is just a reminder that these things do happen, and we need to be prepared.

Staying safe during a shooting is the concept behind the video “Run, hide fight,” a project funded by the Department of Homeland Security for the city of Houston.

The video breaks down the steps needed to survive an attack. KKCO 11 News sat down with Jim Creasy, a sergeant with the Grand Junction Police department to break down the video. Creasy said step one should be to make a plan.

"That doesn't mean a complicated plan that people sit down around a table and talk about and draw diagrams and things like that. That means maybe going over a set of facts in your own mind, what would I do if this happened," Creasy said.

According to the video, running is always the best alternative, but Creasy said be careful not to run into the action.

"How do you do that? Maybe listen to where the sounds are coming from; maybe you can see where other people are running away from," he said.

The video gives hiding as the next option, telling viewers to secure a hiding place the best you can, turn out lights, and if possible, remember to lock doors, silence your ringer and vibration mode on your cell phone."

If you can’t run or hide, the video says it’s now time to fight, acting with aggression, improvising weapons and working to disarm the gunman.

By that point, law enforcement should be on scene, and Creasy said it's then up to you to make their job as easy as possible.

"They'll be instructions being given, so if you can just focus your thoughts on those instructions and maybe help others that are a little more panicked," he said.

Creasy said the police department does have a plan in place with the Mesa Mall in case of an active shooter scenario, and they are also trained to respond in the schools in our area.

Mesa Mall officials said guns are not allowed inside, even with a concealed carry permit.


powered by Disqus