University of Montana Assistant Police Chief Ben Gladwin says if someone holds you at gunpoint and demands money or jewelry, it’s always best to just give them what they want.
Captain Gladwin also points out that an active shooter only wants to quickly kill as many people as possible.
"What we’re talking about in these incidents is an active shooter actively engaging in taking life. They’re asking for something that you can’t give them; that’s your life.”
Gladwin led a crowd of about 50 UM faculty, staff and students Thursday at the first of three information sessions on active shooter response. The meetings come on the heels of recent shootings on various college campuses.
Gladwin says one of the basic principles of Department of Homeland Security active shooter response training is called “Run, Lock and Fight.”
"I’m sure a lot of you have heard ‘Run, HIDE, fight’. Our program has changed ‘hide’ to ‘lock’. We like to use a term that’s more proactive. The federal agency (Homeland Security) was previously using ‘hide’, they’re also starting to transition to ‘lock’ as well because our message is that hiding and hoping is not the answer.”
In the event of an emergency, faculty and staff are advised to be aware of exit locations and have an escape route in mind. If not possible, lock the door and barricade it with heavy furniture or office equipment. Should that fail and a shooter gains access to a classroom, Gladwin says all the rules for a fair fight go out the window.
"Any fair fight is a fight that you’re not willing to win. Use anything you can as improvised weapons. How well can somebody point and shoot a gun if somebody sprays a fire extinguisher in their face; stuff that readily available, but not obviously a weapon, but can help you get through one of these situations."
Alain Burrese helps lead local active shooter response training sessions.
"Sometimes what’s really surprising is seeing a smaller lady or maybe an elderly lady and you see how ferocious they can be. Almost unanimously when people get done with this training they say, ‘it isn’t what I expected and I feel a lot more empowered that I can do something if something like this were to happen.”
The University of Montana is in the process bolstering its emergency response plan by creatingan action plan customized for every individual campus building.
