Emergency Response Guide

Active Shooter / Sudden Violence Situations

An Active Shooter/Sudden Violence situation is defined as a person or persons who are actively engaged in or seeking to kill or injure people. Suspects may use firearms, knives, vehicles, or other means to kill or injure others. They may randomly choose their victims and these situations change rapidly. You must be prepared to react quickly to save your life.

Best Option – RUN (Escape)

If you have a way to escape, attempt to quickly leave the area.

  • Have at least two escape routes planned in advance.
  • Warn others about the danger as you are fleeing, but keep moving.
  • Do not waste time gathering up your belongings. Just GO!
  • Move quickly, keep your hands visible, and follow the instructions of any police officers you encounter. Evacuate in the direction from which officers were coming, unless they tell you otherwise.
  • Do not attempt to remove seriously injured people. Notify authorities of their location as soon as you are in a safe place.
  • Evacuate to a safe area far away from the danger and take protective cover until emergency responders arrive to help you.

If unable to escape – HIDE (Find safe shelter)

If escape is not possible or not advisable due to the circumstances, find a place to hide where the suspect is less likely to find you.

  • Close and lock or barricade the entryways. Close the blinds. Turn off all the lights. Silence cell phones and any other source of noise.
  • Get out of sight. Hide behind cabinets, under desks, or lie on the floor out of sight of windows.
  • Designate one person in the room to quietly call ICC Police Dispatch at 694-5111. Information to provide includes:
    • Your name and location
    • Number of people with you
    • Injuries to anyone, and where injured people are
    • Last known location of the suspect(s), if known
    • Physical description and/or identity of suspects(s), if known
    • Number and type of weapons involved
  • Remain in place and wait for police to assist you in getting out of the area. Do not open the door unless you are certain it is the police.
  • Designate one person to monitor their cell phone for emergency messages from the ICC “MyAlert” notification system and listen for public address system alerts by the police.

If confronted by the suspect – FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE

As a last resort, and only when you are in imminent danger of losing your life, you may have to attempt to incapacitate the suspect to save your life.

  • Once you make the decision to fight for your life, completely commit yourself mentally to taking any action necessary, including physical violence and deadly force, to save your life. Work together with others to give yourself the best advantage to win the fight.
  • Use makeshift weapons and any available means to render the suspect unable to continue. Act as aggressively as possible to put a stop to the suspect’s actions. This is a life or death situation you must win.

What to Expect from Responding Police Officers

Police officers responding to an armed suspect are trained to proceed immediately to the suspect to stop the threat as quickly as possible. The first officers will not stop to aid injured people if the threat is ongoing.

Officers may be in teams equipped with tactical gear and heavy weapons including rifles or shotguns. Remain calm and do as they tell you. Remember to keep your hands open and visible at all times. Do not make any movements that might cause the police to mistake your actions for a threat. Once you have reached a safe location or assembly point, stay in that area until the situation is under control. Do not leave until authorities have instructed you to do so.

Rescue teams comprised of other officers and emergency medical personnel will follow the first officers into secured areas to treat and remove injured persons.