Practical Steps to Protect Yourself, Your Family, and Your Community
The tragic school shooting in Bend, Oregon, is another painful reminder that an act of violence can shatter a community in a matter of minutes. When children, teachers, and families become victims, we are reminded of the importance of protecting our schools and preparing people to respond when the unthinkable happens.
As a former FBI Special Agent who worked on major investigations and public safety issues, I understand that preventing violence requires more than responding after shots are fired. It requires preparation, awareness, communication, and a willingness to take potential threats seriously.
Although no security plan can eliminate every risk, individuals who understand what to do during an active shooter incident can improve their chances of survival. Equally important is knowing how to prepare before an incident and how to support those affected afterward.
BEFORE AN INCIDENT: PREPARATION SAVES TIME
Most people do not expect to encounter an active shooter. Consequently, they may never consider how they would respond. Unfortunately, an emergency is not the time to develop a plan.
1. Pay attention to your surroundings.
Situational awareness means understanding what is happening around you rather than simply moving through your day on autopilot.
When entering a building, take a moment to identify the nearest exits. Consider whether there is an alternative exit if the main entrance becomes inaccessible. Notice where stairwells are located and whether doors lead outside or into another section of the building.
You do not need to live in fear or constantly search for danger. Instead, develop the habit of noticing your surroundings and recognizing when something appears unusual.
2. Know your school’s or workplace’s emergency procedures.
Schools and businesses should have established emergency response plans that include procedures for lockdowns, evacuations, communications, and coordination with law enforcement.
Employees, teachers, and students should understand what different alerts mean and what actions are expected.
Schools should regularly review emergency plans with local police, fire departments, and emergency medical personnel. Training should include realistic decision-making exercises, clear responsibilities, and accommodations for individuals with disabilities or other specific needs. Parents should also know how their children’s schools communicate during emergencies and where reunification will take place.
3. Take concerning behavior seriously.
Prevention begins long before an attacker enters a building.
Threatening statements, explicit plans to commit violence, attempts to acquire weapons for a violent purpose, or communications identifying intended victims should be taken seriously. Other concerning behaviors may include escalating threats, stalking, or statements suggesting an intention to harm oneself or others.
No single behavior automatically means someone will commit an attack. Avoid relying on stereotypes, appearance, or assumptions about mental illness. Instead, focus on specific behaviors and credible threats. Report concerns to school administrators, workplace security, law enforcement, or an established threat assessment team. Early intervention can create opportunities to investigate a threat, provide appropriate assistance, and prevent violence.
4. Practice your response.
Knowing an emergency procedure intellectually is different from being able to apply it under stress.
Participate in appropriate drills and learn how to respond if an exit is blocked or a lockdown becomes necessary. Schools should communicate with families about drills and provide age-appropriate instruction that prepares students without unnecessarily frightening them. Preparation should be designed to build confidence, not panic.
DURING AN INCIDENT: MAKE DECISIONS THAT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF SURVIVAL
When gunfire erupts, people may experience confusion, fear, and disbelief. Some freeze because they cannot immediately process what is happening. This is a normal stress response. Preparation can help people recognize danger and make decisions more quickly.
The FBI’s active shooter guidance emphasizes three basic options: Run, Hide, and Fight. These are not necessarily sequential steps. Your decision should depend on the circumstances, the shooter’s location, and the safest option available.
1. RUN: Escape if you can do so safely.
If there is a reasonably safe escape route away from the threat, leave immediately. Do not stop to collect personal belongings. Do not wait for everyone else to agree that evacuation is necessary. However, if you can help others escape without placing yourself in greater danger, do so.
Once outside, continue moving away from the building and toward a safer location. Warn others not to enter the danger area. Call 911 when you are safe enough to do so. Provide your location, the location of the shooter if known, a description of the individual, and any information about weapons or injured people.
Remember that the nearest exit is not always the safest exit. Avoid moving toward gunfire or entering an area where the attacker may be located.
2. HIDE: If escape is unsafe, find a secure place.
If you cannot safely evacuate, get out of the shooter’s view and find a location that offers protection.
If possible, enter a room, lock the door, and barricade it with heavy furniture or other substantial objects. Move away from doors and windows, and remain quiet. Silence your phone, including its vibration setting, unless you need it for an emergency communication.
If you are in a classroom, teachers should follow their school’s established lockdown procedures, secure the room when possible, and keep students away from exposed areas. Do not open a secured door simply because someone knocks or claims to be an authority figure if doing so would violate your emergency procedures or expose occupants to danger. Follow verified instructions from law enforcement whenever possible.
3. FIGHT: A last resort when your life is in imminent danger.
If escape is impossible, hiding is no longer viable, and you face an immediate threat to your life, physical resistance may be your only remaining option.
If you must act, commit to protecting yourself and those around you. Use available objects to create an opportunity to disrupt the attack and escape. Throw chairs, backpacks, or anything else at the shooter in an effort to disrupt their attack, potentially creating an opportunity for you to then flee. Fighting should be considered a last resort when other options are unavailable.
4. When law enforcement arrives, follow instructions.
Officers responding to an active shooter may initially move toward the threat rather than stop to treat injured people. Do not assume that someone who appears to be injured or frightened is necessarily a victim; officers must distinguish between threats and other people at the scene.
Keep your hands empty and visible. Follow instructions immediately, avoid sudden movements, and do not approach officers unexpectedly. Once you reach safety, remain where authorities direct you. You may be asked to provide information as a witness.
AFTER AN INCIDENT: RECOVERY IS PART OF PUBLIC SAFETY
Surviving an attack does not mean the experience ends when the shooting stops. Victims, witnesses, families, first responders, and entire communities may face a difficult recovery.
1. Follow official information and reunification procedures.
After an incident, conflicting information can spread rapidly through social media, text messages, and news reports. Rely on verified communications from law enforcement, school officials, and emergency management agencies. Avoid sharing unconfirmed names, casualty figures, accusations, or purported details about the suspect.
Parents should follow the school’s designated reunification process rather than rushing to the scene. Uncoordinated arrivals can obstruct emergency responders and complicate efforts to account for students.
2. Get medical attention.
Seek medical evaluation for injuries, even if they initially seem minor. If you are with an injured person and the scene is safe, contact emergency services and follow the dispatcher’s instructions.
Do not enter an unsecured danger area to reach someone who is injured. Emergency responders will ensure the area is safe and then provide aid.
3. Recognize the emotional impact.
Fear, anger, sadness, difficulty sleeping, and heightened alertness can occur after a traumatic event. Children may become clingy, have nightmares, or struggle to return to normal routines.
Listen without judgment. Allow people to discuss their experiences when they are ready, but do not pressure them to describe what happened.
Parents should provide children with honest, age-appropriate information, reassure them that adults are working to keep them safe, and maintain familiar routines when possible.
If distress persists, worsens, or interferes with daily life, seek help from a qualified mental health professional. People who experience trauma may recover at different rates, and there is no single correct timetable.
4. Support the community and learn from the incident.
Schools and organizations should review their response after an attack, identify what worked, and address deficiencies. This process should include first responders, administrators, security professionals, mental health specialists, and affected community members. The goal is to improve preparedness and care, not to assign blame without evidence.
Communities should also respect victims and their families, avoid sensationalizing the attacker, and focus public attention on prevention, recovery, and the people whose lives were affected.
CONCLUSION: PREPARE WITHOUT LIVING IN FEAR
Active shooter incidents are frightening because they are unpredictable and can unfold quickly. Preparation, awareness, communication, and decisive action can make a meaningful difference.
Know your exits. Understand emergency procedures. Report credible threats. If an attack occurs, escape if you can do so safely, hide if you cannot escape, and resist as a last resort when your life is in immediate danger.
Afterward, seek medical care, support those affected, follow verified information, and give individuals and communities the time and resources needed to recover.
Because no one can guarantee that violence will never occur, we should make prevention a priority, improve our readiness, and ensure that more people know how to respond.
