SFS offers tips to survive active shooter situations Published July 7, 2016 By Mark Wyatt 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- To ensure members of the workforce increase their chance to survive an active shooter situation, officials from the 66th Security Forces Squadron have offered helpful tips for base personnel. These tips should come in useful next week as the base holds an active shooter-training scenario to evaluate first responders and members of the Hanscom community. "Active shooter training will go a long way in neutralizing a threat if we're ever faced with this scenario," said Tech. Sgt. Harvey W. Holloway, Jr., 66 SFS non-commissioned officer in charge of training. "The faster you're able to go through a building to eliminate the threat, the quicker it is eliminated, which will enable all personnel to go home at the end of the day." According to Holloway, an active shooter is an individual actively engaged in attempting to harm people. In most cases, active shooters use firearms and there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims. In some cases, active shooters use improvised explosive devices to create additional victims and to impede first responders. To increase the chance of survival, Holloway provides these active shooter tips to base personnel. Actions to Consider At Hanscom AFB, and many other military installations, a lockdown is a security measure to confine and restrict movement. All personnel, including military members, federal employees, contractors, dependents or guests on the installation, must restrict movement when lockdown is declared. During a lockdown, no person may enter or exit another area until the "all clear," unless movement is required to escape a dangerous place or situation. Holloways suggests when an active shooter situation occurs, remain calm and quickly determine the most reasonable way to survive. In addition, he encourages personnel "Run, Hide or Fight." "While the choices are not in any particular order, each option might provide the greatest chance of survival," he said. "Base the decision whether to run, hide or fight on two factors: the proximity of the shooter and the accessibility of escape routes." Inside the Immediate Incident Area - When an escape route is accessible, evacuate the immediate area. - Consider all points of egress as potential escape routes (e.g., windows and doors). - Notify others to escape. Escape regardless of whether or not others agree to follow. - Be prepared to "fight" by carrying an improvised weapon. - Do not waste time gathering personal belongings. - Continually identify locations to fall back and barricade if an escape is no longer possible. - Proceed to a safe location. Move away from the vicinity. - During real-world situations, and in a safe area, notify first responders by calling base extension 5000, or when off base by calling 911. Hide/Barricade - If evacuation is not possible, close and lock all doors and be prepared to fight if necessary. - Move heavy objects to barricade the door. - When barricading the door with heavy objects is not possible, create obstacles to slow down, fix, turn or obscure the vision of the shooter. Even though an obstacle will not prevent a shooter from entering the area, it will help achieve a tactical advantage. - Turn off the lights and remain quiet. - Silence all cell phones and other sources of noise. Fight/Take Action Against the Shooter - Fight is not a last option. As with each run, hide or fight tactic, fight is encouraged when it offers the best chance for survival. - Attempt to disarm or direct weapons away from personnel. - Commit to the fight; nothing is off limits: focus attacks on weak points in the shooter's eyes, nose, groin and throat. Outside the Immediate Incident Area - Stay away from the area; there may be unknown dangers at or near the scene. - Listen to the installation's warning notification system or local radio or television stations for information. - If outdoors, try to make it inside a facility before lockdown, or in a vehicle to get out of the affected area. - Do not allow individuals to enter or exit an area during lockdown until the announcement of "all clear." - Only use phone services for emergency communication. Information to Provide to Law Enforcement When calling 911 during real-world situations, provide the following information: - Location of the active shooter and number of shooters - Provide a physical description of the shooter - The number, and if known, the type of weapons used - Number of potential victims When law enforcement arrives, their purpose is to stop the active shooter as soon as possible. They will proceed to the area where the last shots were heard and will not stop to help injured personnel until the shooter is neutralized. Holloway stressed that while the training for first responders is critical, it is also important for members of the workforce to know how to respond to this type of event. "The Air Force or the military is not immune to this type of tragedy," he said. "While the training security forces members receive is critically important, members of the workforce knowing how to respond to this type of event can increase the chance of survival." For more information on active shooter preparedness, visit the Department of Homeland Security website at https://www.dhs.gov/active-shooter-preparedness, or visit the Air Force's disaster preparedness website at http://www.beready.af.mil for additional information. (Editor's note: Information for this article was provided by the Air Force Emergency Management website.)