Stay alert, stay alive when encountering an active shooter Published March 30, 2011 By Kenji Thuloweit 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- From accused Fort Hood shooter Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan to Virginia Tech murderer Seung-Hui Cho, the active shooter is a real threat to military bases as well as civilian workplace environments. Whatever reason, whatever motivation, certain people commit to violence. An active shooter is defined as "an armed person who has used deadly physical force on other people and continues to do so, while having unrestricted access to additional victims. The Air Force has emphasized recent training to handle such irrational and unexpected violent events through base exercises as well as notifications from the Emergency Management office. "There is no way to predict or prevent an active-shooter scenario," said Master Sgt. Nancy Gonzalez, 95th Security Forces Squadron. "Active-shooter scenarios are dangerous because there is no criminal objective other than violence. To combat these types of scenarios, preparation is required in order to neutralize the threat quickly and minimize innocent injury and death." "For the general public, the most important thing for them to do is to stay alive. How do they do that?" Sergeant Gonzalez says if people are in the immediate area of the shooter there are certain things they should do. "Evacuate if possible; leave belongings inside. Call 911 as soon as it is safe to do so. If in a group, designate only one person to call 911 and relay information." She said once Security Forces arrive, people need to keep their hands visible and follow the instructions of the responders. People should provide as much pertinent information as possible to include: the number of shooters, shooter's locations, numbers and types of weapons (such as rifle, shotgun, handgun), shooter's physical description and direction of travel, number of casualties, explosive devices, and whether or not they have blocked or chained doors. "Do not assume that others have called 911 until that action has been confirmed by a mass notification, such as the giant voice. If on the phone with a 911 operator, do not hang up the phone. Stay on the line until told to hang up by the operator," Sergeant Gonzalez said. If evacuation is not possible, those in the immediate area must find a place to hide where they are less likely to be discovered by the shooter, the 95th Security Forces Squadron advises. Move quickly away from the threat and seek shelter inside the nearest room or building that can be locked. "Alert others of the incident by shouting, "Lockdown! Lockdown! Lockdown!" Silence cell phones and turn off sources of noise [TV's, radios]. Hide behind large items or lie flat on the floor. Stay clear of windows and doors," Sergeant Gonzalez says. "Remain quiet. Follow the instructions of Security Forces when they arrive on scene. Remember, Security Forces' purpose is to neutralize the shooter as quickly as possible, so following instruction is imperative." If people are not in the immediate area of the shooter they should find the nearest cover and stay there and remain vigilant for potential threats. People should avoid using building public address systems and pay attention to the Giant Voice system outside. "The public should never utilize a public address or intercom system in their facility to tell other building occupants there is an active shooter nearby," says Master Sgt. Mark Berg, 95th SFS. "They should also never give mass instructions for evacuation over these systems. Both can further anger and frustrate a shooter, and the latter can tell a shooter where a large gathering of potential victims will be located." Sergeant Berg says if individuals are trapped inside a facility or a room, occupants should not mass and huddle together, as this provides a larger target to a shooter. Instead, folks should spread themselves out along walls inside the room they're in - if they cannot hide behind or under large items that provide them cover. "When people evacuate (if they have the opportunity and a safe route to exit a building) they should never run towards responding Security Forces unless directed to do so. Running towards police officers securing the perimeter puts them [the runners] in the police's line of fire should a shooter exit behind them. Instead, evacuate to wherever directed, and if not directed, laterally to a safe area and distance," Sergeant Berg said.