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Armed Suspect on Campus Playbook

Created in coordination with the O ce of Emergency Preparedness, University Police, at California State University Long Beach

Playbook for Higher Education

WHY A PLAYBOOK?
Should an armed person(s) or active shooter scenario occur, there is very little time to plan how your campus will react, and even less time to communicate these actions to a concerned public. Effective communication can reduce misinformation and minimize danger to the public. Clear and direct communication can also convey how a campus prepares for such events, as well as how it responds should disaster strike. The Blackboard Connect Playbooks series provides you with a blueprint for how to communicate with stakeholders before, during and after such serious events.

EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES

An armed suspect situation can occur on any college or university campus at any time of day. While incidents that result in loss of life are widely publicized, many other violent and non-violent situations take place each year. Did you know . . .
XXFour

people were hospitalized after a shooting at a Halloween party on the University of Southern California campus in 2012. While the party took place at a campus location, the suspected shooter and the four victims were not associated with the school.1 September 2012, Savannah State University police officers on foot patrol overheard an argument, went to investigate, and arrived as a man fired a handgun. One of the officers drew his weapon, at which time the shooter dropped his weapon and fled. One person suffered minor injuries.2 March 2013, a student told Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis campus police that she saw a man on campus with a long gun or rifle. The campus went into shelter-in-place, but IUPUI police found no one with a weapon and made no arrests. One student was quoted by local television as wishing she had more updates from the school.3

RUN, HIDE, FIGHT: SURVIVING AN ACTIVE SHOOTER ON CAMPUS

If you find yourself in the middle of an active shooter event, your survival may depend on whether or not you have a plan. The plan doesn't have to be complicated. There are three things you can do that make a difference: RUN: If there is an escape path, attempt to evacuate. Leave your belongings behind, and help others if possible. Prevent others from entering the area and call 911 when you are safe. HIDE: If you cannot get out safely, you need to hide. Lock and/or blockade the door and silence your cell phone. Stay quiet and out of the shooters view. Be aware of your surroundings and try not to trap or restrict your options for escape. FIGHT: As a last resort, and only if your life is in danger, you may need to attempt to incapacitate the shooter. Work in unison if others are with you. Act with physical aggression and use improvised weapons (chairs, fire extinguisher, etc.) if able. A video demonstrating the Run, Hide, Fight technique has been developed by the City of Houston, TX, and can be viewed at http://youtu. be/5VcSwejU2D0
Adapted from Responding to an Active Shooter, University of Maryland Emergency Procedures. http://www.umcp.umd. edu/emergencypreparedness/guides/activeshooter.cfm

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What, when and how you communicate before, during and after confirming an armed suspect on campus is critical.

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BEFORE AN ARMED SUSPECT SITUATION OCCURS

Should an armed suspect or an active shooter situation ever present itself on your campus, it is imperative to have a communication plan in place and a set of procedures to follow. By one definition, an active shooter scenario occurs when one or more armed persons are present on the campus grounds and whose only objective is to cause serious injury or death to as many persons as possible. Normally there is no pattern concerning which victim will be selected by the intruder.4 While the odds of such a scenario taking place on a particular campus are low, effective preparation will make a difference should the unthinkable occur. In fact, such preparation is credited with preventing significant loss of life at the University of Central Florida in March 2013. The roommate of the potential shooter called 911, and the quick police response disrupted the shooters plans, prompting him to take his own life, instead of attacking other students.5

Develop a communication plan in advance

Two federal laws require colleges and universities to have plans in place for communicating effectively about emergency situations, such as an armed suspect on campus. The Higher Education Act has specific requirements intended to help you keep your students and employees informed about threats to their safety and health in a manner that allows them to protect themselves. Originally passed in 1990 and amended several times since, the Clery Act requires every institution that participates in Title IV of the Higher Education Act, without exception, to have and disclose emergency response and evacuation procedures in response to a significant emergency or dangerous situation involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees occurring on the campus.6 In response to the Virginia Tech shootings, Congress further amended the act in 2008, adding a campus emergency response plan to its requirements. The amendment requires institutes of higher education to immediately notify the campus community as soon as an emergency is confirmed on the campus, unless

such notification would impede attempts to control the situation.7 In preparation for any armed suspect situation, review and revise your crisis communication plan. Determine the length of time for specific actions as detailed in the plan. Set a timeline for the order in which actions need to be put into effect, and designate a staff member to perform each action. Establish protocols to test all procedures and equipment on a regular basis. Periodically test the readiness of your mass notification system. As appropriate, communicate regularly with the campus community about preparedness for active shooter scenarios, and let them know what types of messages they can expect to receive in the event of an active shooter incident.

Establish a Campus Crisis Communication System

Evaluate all of the resources at your disposal to determine how they might be used in a crisis communication situation, such as an active shooter on campus. As an example, one Blackboard Connect client system contains a number of components, including traditional continued on next page w

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elements such as telephone, television, and outdoor warning sirens, as well as newer media, including text messages and social media platforms. As an example, their complete list includes:
XXMass XXMass XXMass XXFive

notification email message notification text message notification voice message

EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION: 5 BEST PRACTICES

Use multiple methods of communication To reach as many people as quickly as possible, you need to use more than one method of communication. The more ways you use to reach people, the better. Social media is gaining traction in emergency notification and response dont overlook it in your emergency plans. Make sure all stakeholders are aware of the system and when it will be used This may sound obvious, but your campus community should know that the system exists, what kind of situations would warrant the use of an alert and who to expect it to come from. Keep contact details up to date Your response is only as good as your data. Make sure wherever possible you have multiple numbers and email addresses to contact people. Practice, practice, practice

outdoor warning sirens (mechanical tone only) website, hosted offsite by Google information hotline

XXAlert

XXEmergency XXFacebook XXTwitter XXFaculty XXCable

announcement

announcement and staff news website

interruption message Channel 77 News banner on campus website news story

XXCampus

XXBreaking

XXHomepage XXNews

& Events website story Entrance marquee (visible to public)

XXUniversity

Establish a single point of contact

During an active shooter on campus situation, there wont be time to determine a spokesperson. Designate an Emergency Communications Director in advance, who will rapidly assess the need for communications support and identify, acquire and deploy resources to support critical emergency operations. This person should also have primary responsibility for communicating with the campus community, the general public, and the media. Publicize the fact that this office/person will be the primary point of contact during an emergency. Doing so in advance will enable emergency responders to focus on their work with fewer interruptions. While the continued on next page w

This involves so much more than just testing the technology. Test your emergency notification system every quarter, but do it as part of a tabletop exercise or full-scale drill that tests your institutions response to a particular scenario. Ensure anyone who is authorized to use the emergency notification system becomes familiar with how to send a message it needs to be second nature or when youre under pressure you may struggle to use it. Use emergency notification within a crisis team structure Protecting employees from a potential threat requires more than having the right technology. To respond effectively, you need to know whos in charge of making decisions about how to respond and have a trained crisis team at each office location that knows what to do in a variety of emergencies and can instruct your employees to take the correct action.
Adapted from Emergency Notification: 5 Best Practices, The Preparis Blog. http://www.preparis.com blog/ emergency-notification-5-best-practices/

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Emergency Communications Director will be the first point of contact, they should have the authority to bring in others, such as campus security leaders, to speak on the schools behalf as appropriate.

Templates can be developed for other media formats as needed. Within each media format, create two distinct types of templates:
XXStatic

Develop message templates

When a gunman threatens your campus, you need to know what to say to students, staff, parents and the community, how to say it, and have the ability to say it quickly to a wide audience. Preparing message templates will save critical minutes if your campus is victimized by an active shooter. Templates can be organized by several criteria. Many colleges and universities develop templates for specific situations, typically covering dozens of scenarios, including active shooter on campus. Within each scenario, a separate script can be tailored for the particular form of media through which it will be delivered, such as:
XXSMS

These messages should be short, and should be designed to be sent immediately without editing when an active shooter scenario occurs. Create fill-in-the-blank templates which house the main message you wish to convey, with blanks for details pertinent to the current situation, such as time and location.

XXEditable

Many schools have also developed numbering systems which make it easier to identify templates by scenario. Such systems provide continuity in the face of staffing changes and changing priorities. Your mass notification system can give you the option of identifying favorite templates, providing quick access to those that are most frequently used.

Develop backups & contingency plans

In an active shooter situation, access to communication resources may be disrupted, key officials and staff members may be unavailable, and additional resources may be in use or otherwise unavailable to assist. Know the capabilities and strengths of each member of your team before an incident occurs, and designate individuals in advance to fulfill each task. For each communication task, assign a backup who can assume the task if the primary communicator is unable to perform it. Understand that the scale of an incident evolves. There is no way to accurately predict in advance how a situation will unfold. Develop alternate means of creating documentation in the event that electronic systems are unavailable. Event logs and communications traffic records are vital for documenting emergency actions for possible postemergency investigation or after-action reports. continued on next page w

text message/Twitter Short, direct messages, which often include a web link to additional information. post a bit longer than a text or tweet, but still concise, with a link to more information. message more detail, as appropriate, than above templates. May also include a link as above. message message should be at least 30 seconds long to ensure proper handling of voicemail, but no more than 50-60 seconds long to avoid partial messages and attention span issues. craft a short message, suitable for adding to the top of the home page as an alert, as well as a link to a separate page with more details and information. signage/marquee message should be very short, with phone number or website home page address. Signs should cycle the message rapidly, repeating every few seconds.

XXFacebook

XXEmail

XXVoice

XXWebsite

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Use your mass notification service to send periodic nonemergency messages reminding your campus community about emergency preparedness, and list first actions to take in an armed suspect scenario. An active shooter situation can pose significant challenges for students,

faculty and staff with disabilities. As appropriate, use your mass notification service to create and maintain a separate list of those with special needs, and send tailored messages designed to meet their specific needs.

WHILE AN ARMED SUSPECT IS ON CAMPUS

What and when to communicate
The impact of an armed suspect on campus is felt throughout the campus and beyondwith an active shooter scenario heightening the stakes significantly. A mass notification service can be an extremely valuable tool in such situations. It can be used to notify the public that an active shooter is on campus and that response plans have been activated and are being carried out. It can also be used to send the campus community a message containing specific and relevant instructions, which can be delivered across multiple channels, ensuring consistent messaging. If the identity of the armed suspect is known to be a student or staff member, that person should be removed from any outgoing messages. In each case, those who need the information receive it directly and immediately. Other relevant messages can be prepared and delivered to faculty, staff, and off-campus students to alleviate concerns and advise against travel to campus, while also squelching rumors and misinformation. As much as possible, every message you send should contain the following elements:
XXWho XXThe

Communication should take place only when there is a clear need, as well as a clear message to convey. Communicating too frequently without new information will minimize the impact of messages, while vague or uncertain messages can create confusion among the campus community and the public at large. One possible exception to this rule can be made during a shelter-inplace situation. Regular communication with those directly impacted by a shelter-in-place can ease fears and uncertainty, as well as reinforcing the need to remain sheltered and avoid travel through the affected area.

How to communicate
Distribute messages using your campus alert system, as described previously. A mass notification service can enable you to distribute messages rapidly by mobile or landline phone, email, or SMS (text messaging), providing multiple channels to reach the public even if some services are disrupted. Care must be taken to avoid unnecessarily causing alarm, while ensuring that those affected by the situation receive the information they need. Avoid communicating just for the sake of communicating. Use templates developed in advance, as noted above. They allow for details to be added quickly, saving time in the event of armed suspect situation on campus. continued on next page w

the message is from

location, time and details about the situation actions are being taken by the school

XXWhat XXWhat

actions should be taken by those receiving the message and where to obtain additional information

XXHow

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Maintain a complete and up-to-date list of media contacts to ensure all media receive information and updates throughout the situation. Be prepared to handle inquiries and arrivals on campus from out-of-market and national media, particularly if injuries or fatalities have occurred. Coordinate with campus and local law enforcement officials to ensure that media representatives do not interfere with efforts to locate and neutralize the shooter. Monitor broadcast

media, media websites, and social media platforms as much as possible to identify and correct misinformation as quickly as possible. If your campus has dealt with similar incidents in the past, be prepared to hear them mentioned again, especially if your previous responses were criticized or were lacking in any way. Be ready with examples of how those incidents better prepared your campus to deal with the current incident.

AFTER THE ARMED SUSPECT SITUATION HAS CONCLUDED

Declaring an end to the crisis
Once the emergency has passed, use your alert system to issue an all-clear message through all communication channels and lift any shelter-in-place that have been implemented. Clearly distinguish whether the suspect has been subdued/apprehended, or if the area has been sufficiently secured to issue an all-clear despite the suspect remaining at large. If appropriate, mention that a thorough search of the campus has indicated the suspect is no longer a threat to the area. Distribute these announcements as widely as possible in order to preempt calls, allowing emergency management staff to stay on task. Use your mass notification system to deliver updates, as appropriate through multiple channels. Monitor social media sites and use official university social media accounts to issue updates and respond appropriately to rumors and misinformation. Issue a statement to all campus departments with incident details and talking points to use if they receive inquiries from parents, students, or other concerned individuals. Instruct campus departments to refer all media inquiries to the Emergency Communications Director. Understand that active shooter incidents seldom conclude in a single day. Some incidents can generate weeks of media attention. Develop consistent messages and talking points, and stick to them. Do not engage in speculation or conjecture simply because a reporter has time or space to fill.

Recap of actions taken

If the incident was serious enough to warrant it, invite community residents, students, and staff members to public meetings and encourage participation in discussions about the effect on the campus and surrounding community. Involve campus, local, and regional public safety personnel, communications staff, and selected continued on next page w

Incident Aftermath
After an armed suspect incident, distribute up-to-date information and alerts to local media outlets, through known spokespersons, and using an established and trusted method, to deter gossip and misinformation. If out-of-market and national media are pursuing the story, include them in your distributions.
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university representatives. Be sure to announce the time, date and location of such meetings. Provide as much advance notice as possible, and send regular reminders. Email can also be used to share the meeting agenda and various subjects to be discussed. Reach out to key reporters in the area and let them know how officials have been providing direction and updates to the campus community, what kinds of messages have been sent and that more information will follow, including details about apprehension of the suspect, and the lifting of shelter-in-place.

Establish a network for victims and their families to get information directly from your school. Even when no shots have been fired and no injuries have occurred, active shooter incidents can leave many students, faculty, staff, and parents in need of information, counseling, and support. Use media contacts to publicize this network for those who may need it. Conduct a thorough internal review of your schools response to the active shooter incident. Identify areas for improvement, and highlight areas where performance was strong.

BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER CHECKLIST

BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER CHECKLIST
Keys to successful communication if an active shooter on campus occurs:

Before
Review and revise your crisis communication plan well in advance of the appearance of an active shooter. Develop

message templates to save time in message preparation and delivery. a single point of contact for all communications & develop an updated media list. backups and contingency plans.

Designate Develop

During
Deliver information which helps residents protect themselves wherever they may be during an active shooter

situation.
Use

a mass notification service to deliver important messages quickly across multiple platforms.

Communicate using any avenues which may be available, including text messages and social media networks.

After
Distribute

announcements widely and quickly to preempt calls and allow recovery efforts to continue unimpeded. coverage across various media to minimize misinformation and rumors. local media about response to the incident and support for those affected.

Monitor Update

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SAMPLE MESSAGE TEMPLATES

Text Messages
A shooting has occurred on the (university) campus at (location). Area under evacuation. Suspect is (NOT in custody, shelter in place/in custody, police are on scene, avoid area). http://www. <yourschool>.edu/<AlertSite> . (AS APPROPRIATE & AVAILABLE: Consider sending a second text with a description of suspect & last known location) Active Shooter reported last seen at {PROMPT:Building or Location:unknown}. Get to a safe location and barricade. (University) Emergency! A suspect with a weapon is on campus. Go into nearest room and lock door. Shelter In Place. Follow instructions from authorities. ACTIVE SHOOTER at ___________ (location). Seek safe shelter. Obey officials. Check http://www.

Voice Messages
(University) -- This is a (University) Alert. I repeat: this is a (University) Alert. A gunman is/Gunmen are (provide location) now. (TIME) (DATE) Immediately go to a safe and secure location. Stay away from windows. Lock doors. Emergency personnel are responding. Monitor cellphone. the (University) homepage. local media. w w w dot (University) dot e d u slash (address) and the Emergency Information Hotline at (spell out numbers) ADDITIONAL INFO. (Prepared for delivery by mass notification service, emphasizing pauses and pronunciation of single letters & numbers for clear speech-to-text translation.) This is the Department of Public Safety with an EMERGENCY alert from (university). There is a suspect with a [type] weapon on campus. [Shots have been fired.] If you are on campus, go into the nearest available room and lock the door. If you are not on campus, stay away. THIS IS NOT A TEST! Wait for the all clear notification from College officials or local authorities. For additional information and updates go to (Emergency Website) or call (Emergency Hotline).

Email Messages
SUBJECT: Active Shooter An active shooter has been reported on campus near/in _______ (location). Seek safe shelter immediately. Barricade yourself in a room or evacuate to safety until further notice, and obey emergency personnel. (University) emergency personnel and public safety officials are on the scene. (Narrative). Classes not in/in this area are in session/canceled as of ___ (time), ____ (day), ____ (date). Additional safety information can be found at http://www. <yourschool>.edu/<AlertSite>. Please monitor http:// www. <yourschool>.edu/<AlertSite>, the Emergency Information Line (Emergency Hotline), and local media for more information and updates. continued on next page w

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Email Messages (continued)

Subject: Active Shooter reported An active shooter has been reported to be attacking people on campus last seen at {PROMPT:Building or Location:unknown}. Do not assume this is their current location. Police are responding to the situation. Follow all instructions from police and make sure empty hands are in plain view. Updates will be sent as soon as critical details are available. Report your condition and location to university officials when possible. If not on campus, please register yourself on the American Red Cross Safe and Well website at safeandwell.org. Continue to monitor campus communications. EMERGENCY! There is a suspect with a [type] weapon on campus. [Shots have been fired.] If you are on campus, go into the nearest available room and lock the door. If you are not on campus, stay away. THIS IS NOT A TEST! Wait for the all clear notification from College officials or local authorities. For additional information and updates go to (Emergency Website) or call (Emergency Hotline).

Website Message
Shooting on campus: EMERGENCY ALERT! At about (time) today, Public Safety received a report of a shooting on the (university) campus at (location). Police are on the scene and investigating. (A suspect is NOT in custody. If you are on campus, follow SHELTER-IN-PLACE procedures: go into the nearest room and lock the door. If you are not on campus, do not return until further notice. Please contact Public Safety at (phone) if you see anything suspicious or have information. As additional information becomes available, updates will be posted on this site. (University) is grateful for your patience, cooperation and understanding during this incident. Consideration: Classes (in this area) have been temporarily cancelled, or relocated to (location) until further notice. Updates will be emailed or posted. (AS APPROPRIATE & AVAILABLE: Consider posting a description of suspect & last known location)

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REFERENCES
Resources
The Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting http://www2.ed.gov/admins/lead/safety/handbook.pdf Prepared by the US Department of Education, the Handbook contains a chapter dedicated to Emergency Notification and Timely Warnings. Campus Attacks: Targeted Violence Affecting Institutions of Higher Education. http://www.secretservice.gov/ntac/CampusAttacks041610.pdf Developed by the US Secret Service, this report was generated in response to a recommendation after the 2007 shootings at Virginia Tech, and investigates common themes among several campus shootings. Active Shooter Preparedness http://www.dhs.gov/active-shooter-preparedness A list of resources and materials related to active shooter preparedness, prepared by the US Department of Homeland Security. Emergency Preparedness: Campus Active Shooter http://www.sandiego.edu/emergency/procedures/campus_ active_shooter.php A list of best practices for students and others who find themselves in an active shooter on campus scenario, prepared by the University of San Diego. 5 ways to prepare your community for active shooters http://www.policeone.com/terrorism/articles/6119481-5-waysto-prepare-your-community-for-active-shooters/ Tips to help your community prepare for the possibility of an active shooter scenario.

Works Cited
1 KCBS-TV, 4 Injured After Shooting Outside Halloween Party On USC Campus. http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/11/01/ four-injured-after-shooting-outside-halloween-party-on-usccampus/ 2 Savannah State University Office of Marketing/Communications, Campus Shooting Incident. http://simba.savannahstate.edu/news/read.aspx?=258 3 WANE-TV, IUPUI gives campus 'all clear'. http://www.wane. com/dpp/news/indiana/man-with-gun-seen-on-iupui-campus1363716840028 4 St. Johns University, Active Shooter on Campus Safety Tips. http://www.stjohns.edu/campus/publicsafety/safety/ planning/campus_safety_tips.stj 5 PoliceOne.com, Fla. active shooter incident prevented by officers quick response. http://www.policeone.com/activeshooter/articles/6156772-Fla-active-shooter-incident-prevented-by-officers-quick-response 6 U.S. Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education, The Handbook for Campus Safety and Security Reporting, Washington, D.C., 2011, p. 97. http://www2.ed.gov/ admins/lead/safety/handbook.pdf 7 Drysdale,D., Modzeleski, W., and Simons, A. (2010). Campus Attacks: Targeted Violence Affecting Institutions of Higher Education. U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, U.S. Department of Education, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice. Washington, D.C., 2010. http://www. secretservice.gov/ntac/CampusAttacks041610.pdf

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ABOUT BLACKBOARD CONNECT

Blackboard Connect is a leading mass notification service provider for colleges and universities, and has proven its reliability time and again in emergency situations. Messages can be sent automatically to the entire campus community, or targeted to reach groups in affected areas, via phone, email or SMS, providing you with quicker message delivery and increased public safety. The Blackboard Connect platform allows officials to send thousands of messages in minutes, requires no additional hardware, and can be used from any computer with Internet access, smartphone or telephone. This ensures that administrators can send vital messages from wherever they are locatedeven if they are evacuated or locked down. Additionally, officials receive detailed reports on contacts that did not receive a message, enabling them to follow up through alternative means as needed.

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