Emergency Response Training
Safety & Security
Active threats last 12 minutes on average. 60% of active threats end before police arrive.
Are you ready to respond?
BC3 Campus Police provides A.L.I.C.E. Training to the campus community. Contact Scott Richardson, Director of Campus Police & Security, at 724-287-8711, ext. 8225 to learn about effective response plans to an emergency situation.
A.L.I.C.E Training
ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) training is a risk management program taught to students and employees which provides preparation and response plan options for individuals on how to more proactively handle the threat of an aggressive intruder or active shooter event. Whether it is an attack by an individual person or by a group of people, ALICE Training option based tactics have become the accepted response, versus the traditional “lockdown only” approach.
Campus Police officers are trained to facilitate campus-based ALICE programs to promote campus safety and security on an ongoing basis. To schedule a training for yourself, your class or a campus group, contact the BC3 Campus Police Department.
A.L.I.C.E. Standards for an Active Threat
ALERT
ALERT is your first notification of danger.
ALERT is anything that heightens your awareness or makes you aware of a threat or danger. When seconds count, the sooner you understand that you are in danger, the sooner you can develop a response plan to protect yourself and others. Alert is overcoming denial, recognizing the signs of danger and receiving notifications about the danger and then implementing an effective response plan. Alerts should be accepted, taken seriously, and once recognized should help you make survival decisions based on your circumstances. Anything can be an alert fire alarm, PA announcement, BC3 Alert, social media post, or even the reaction of others surrounding you.
LOCKDOWN
Retreat to an area or barricade your current location, prepare to EVACUATE or COUNTER if needed and then INFORM when it is safe to do so.
If evacuation is not an option, lockdown and barricade entry points of your current location. Silence phones, cover and stay away from door and windows.
INFORM
Communicate real-time, pertinent, factual information to assist responding police and other first-responders.
The purpose of INFORM is to continue to communicate factual real time information as soon as possible, when it is safe to do so. Active assailant situations are unpredictable and evolve quickly, which means that ongoing, real time, factual information is critical to making effective survival decisions for you and the development of emergency response plans for first responders. Information should be shared utilizing clear, direct and plain language, not by using codes. Building Monitors, 911 calls, social media, text messaging, video surveillance, and PA announcements are just a few of the channels that may be used by students, employees, and others to keep information flowing.
COUNTER
Create noise, movement, distance, distractions, and attack the assailant if necessary. Counter is NOT fighting it is survival.
The counter principle demonstrates action plans where you or others are facing a direct threat and evacuations is no longer an option. Distract the assailant by creating chaos which will disrupt their thought process. Create noise , movement, distance and distraction to reduce the assailants ability to process information, focus, or to shoot accurately. Counter is a strategy of last resort that may involve you and/or others in attacking the assailant through a physical act (either individually or in a group swarmed attack). Utilize improvised weapons of necessity chairs, fire extinguishers, books, or any object that you can use to throw or defend yourself without harming others. This is a defensive, last resort tactic only. When the assailant is incapacitated hide their weapon in a trash can or desk drawer NEVER carry it with you it in plain view. Assist others and prepare for the arrival of first-responders or evacuate the area. Always keep pertinent information flowing when you are safe to do so.
EVACUATE
When safe to do so, remove yourself from the danger zone.
ALICE is an acronym it is not meant to be sequential, it may be used in any order, or only a single step may be needed. If it is at all reasonable or when it is safe to do so evacuate the area and let others know where you are at and who is with you when you are safe. Think outside of the box, unconventional means of escape may be a viable option for you break a window, lift a ceiling tile, create a secondary exit point. When fleeing the area if possible avoid open areas by placing a barrier between yourself the assailant, cars in the parking lot, trees along walk ways, or even buildings. When evacuating help and encourage others escape with you and if possible prevent others from entering the danger zone. Simply put, evacuating to a safe area will take you out of harm’s way. When evacuation is not an option make the place as safe as you can and LOCKDOWN, COUNTER, and INFORM.
Federal Emergency Management Agency
If you do not have the ability to attend an ALICE training and you would like to learn more, take the self-paced, independent study course titled “Active Shooter, What You Can Do” (IS-907) offered through the Department of Homeland Security. This course will provide guidance on how to prepare for and respond to an active shooter crisis. The course is free of charge and takes approximately 45 minutes to complete. This online training opportunity is available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Emergency Management Institute’s website
