Tips to prepare for, respond to school shootings

Ohio is using regional events over the next few weeks to train educators about preparing for and responding to school shooting situations. The training includes these suggestions:

PREPARE

-- Develop safety plans for responding to various threats, including an active shooter.

-- Test safety plans in a realistic environment with sensory overload to mimic the stress of a real emergency.

-- Incorporate law enforcement in training sessions and drills to ensure educators and police are on the same page.

-- Plan gathering spots outside the building and parking lot in case of evacuation.

-- Do not ignore troublesome behaviors that could be warning signs of potential violence.

RESPOND

-- Communicate information about the threat and its location in plain language and update continuously.

-- Quickly determine the most reasonable way to protect lives, such as to run or to hide quietly.

-- Secure the immediate area. In lockdown, lock doors and then barricade them.

-- Position people behind extra protection, such as walls or desks.

-- Silence cell phones and close blinds or block windows.

-- Create a plan to fight back using any items on hand if necessary.

-- If attacked, do not remain stationary. Use distraction techniques and try to escape or swarm attacker.

-- If you seize attacker's weapon, carry it in a trash can or other container to avoid perception that you are a threat.

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Source: Instructor James Burke of Ohio Police Officer Training Academy