Williams College Emergency Response Training

• Welcome

• Purpose of our training

• Overview of the College’s Emergency Response Plan – ERP

• Communication

• Active Shooter Study - FBI

• Strategies for an active violence situation

Definition of Emergency

An emergency is generally defined as any incident or event causing or potentially causing serious injury to persons, extensive property damage, loss of life, or disruption of institution operations.

• Incident - is a situation or series of situations, potential or actual, which will not seriously affect the overall operation of the institution but require response from Williams College entities or single unit response from external response agencies (one ambulance, one Law Enforcement unit, etc.).

• Minor Emergency - is any situation that affects a localized number of people or a small geographic area (less than a floor in a building, concurrent areas outside, etc.) that requires response from Williams College resources and will require support from outside Public Safety agencies. This designation is used for definition purposes only and would not change the Alert Levels of the institution unless the type of incident is a threshold incident.

• Major Emergency - is any situation, potential or actual, which affects a large number of people or people who are not co-located, more than a small geographic area, or which disrupts the overall operation of the institution. Outside emergency services will likely be required as well as a major response from campus support services. A Major Emergency will prompt the opening of the Emergency Operations Center. Some examples of a major emergency are: power outage, fire, snow emergency, bomb threat, hazmat spill, or an active shooter on campus.

• Disaster - is any event or occurrence that seriously impairs or halts the operations of the institution and may require immediate evacuation of the campus community or a significant part of the community. A disaster will prompt the opening of the Emergency Operations Center. Some examples of a disaster are: hurricane/tornado, serious fire, or significant hazardous material release. For either a disaster or an emergency situation that requires evacuation of areas, the Emergency Management Committee will designate buildings of Safe Haven; these are buildings that have not been affected and may be used to house or shelter evacuees until a tactically sound time to move them. Safe Havens will be communicated to individuals through various communication modes to provide that information as much as practicable.

Emergency Communication

• Timely Warnings - are distributed as a “Campus Safety Alert” is considered for all Clery Act crimes that are (1) reported to Campus Security Authorities or local police and (2) determined by the institution to represent a serious or continuing threat to students and employees.

• Emergency (immediate) Notification - Williams College will immediately distribute emergency notifications to the campus community upon confirmation of a significant emergency or dangerous situation on or near campus involving an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or staff. Examples of emergencies that would warrant such a notification include but are not limited to: an active shooter on campus, hostage/barricade situation, a riot, bomb threat, a tornado, a fire/explosion, suspicious death, structural damage to an institution-owned or controlled facility, biological threat (anthrax, etc.), significant flooding, a gas leak, or a significant hazardous materials release.

How We Communicate

Emergency Notification System• Siren System• College Website• Blackboard Connect

Mass broadcast email, phones, text.

Are you subscribed?

How To SubscribePlease make sure your cell phone number is registered in the college's emergency notification system. If it isn't, please follow the instructions below to ensure you'll receive text alerts during an emergency.

To join the emergency notification system:

1. Log in to the PeopleSoft Employee Records system 2. Go to Self Service > Personal Information > Phone Numbers3. Verify that your mobile number is accurate, update it if necessary and then click Submit

What We Communicate

• Nature of the incident• Location of the incident• Status of the threat• Guidance on actions to take to reduce risk

during the emergency• Shelter in place is basic response unless other

information is provided

Types of Specific Hazard Plans

• Building Damage• Fire • Explosion • Natural Hazard • Bomb Threat • Gas Leak • Hazmat Spill• Flooding• Mass Gathering – Campus Protests

Types of Exercises

• Orientation• Drills• Table Top Exercises• Functional Exercises• Full Scale ExercisesEvery year at Spring Break the College conducts emergency exercises that include orientation, drills, tabletop and functional exercises.

What is a Tabletop Exercise?

The Tabletop Exercise is a facilitated group analysis of a hypothetical situation designed to examine –

• operational plans/procedural responses• problem identification• in-depth problem solving

Active Shooter Study

• In 2014 the Federal Bureau of Investigation initiated a study of active shooter incidents to provide federal, state, local, campus and tribal law enforcement with accurate data to better understand how to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from these incidents.

Snapshot

An active shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area. The FBI identified 160 active shooter incidents between 2000 and 2013. Among the study results: • An average of 11.4 incidents occurred annually with an

increasing trend from 2000 to 2013. • An average of 6.4 occurred in the first 7 years studied

and an average of 16.4 occurred in the last 7 years. • Incidents occurred in 40 of 50 states and the District of

Columbia.

Snapshot (continued)• 70% of the incidents occurred in a commerce (73, 46%), or education (39, 24%) environment.• 60% of the incidents ended before police arrived.• In 63 incidents where the duration of incident could be ascertained, 44 (69%) ended in 5 minutes or less, with 23 ending in 2 minutes or less • 64 (40%) incidents fell within the parameters of the federal

definition of “mass killing” (3 or more killed).

Shooters• All but 2 incidents involved a single shooter. • In at least 9 incidents, the shooter first shot and killed a family

member(s) in a residence before moving to a more public location to continue shooting.

• The shooter committed suicide in 64 (40%) incidents. 37 before police arrived, 17 after police arrived, and 10 at another location.

• 6 shooters were female, the rest male. • At least 5 shooters from 4 incidents remained at large as of

September 2014. • In businesses closed to pedestrian traffic, 22 of the 23 shooters

were current/former employees

Casualties• 486 people were killed in the 160 incidents and 557 were wounded.• In at least 15 (9.4%) incidents, family members were

targeted resulting in 20 killed and 1 wounded.• In 16 (10%) incidents, current, former, or estranged wives as well as current or former girlfriends were targeted resulting in 12 killed, 3 wounded and 1 unharmed. In addition 42 others were killed and 28 wounded.

Resolutions• 90 (56.3%) incidents ended on the shooter’s initiative, by

the shooter committing suicide, fleeing, or stopping shooting.

• 21 (13.1%) incidents ended after unarmed citizens successfully restrained the shooter (Off-duty officers assisted in 2). In 5 of those incidents, the shooting ended after armed, non-law enforcement officers exchanged fire with the shooter.

• In 45 (28.1%) incidents, law enforcement engaged in gunfire to end the threat. In 21 of those 45 incidents (46.7%), 9 officers were killed and 28 were wounded.

LocationsThe FBI study divided incidents into 11 distinct location categories with most incidents occurring in commercial and educational areas.• Commerce: 73 (46%)

Businesses Open to Pedestrian Traffic: 44 (27.5%)Businesses Closed to Pedestrian Traffic: 23 (14.3%)

• Malls: 6 (3.8%)• Education: 39 (24%)

Schools (Pre-K to 12): 27 (16.9%)Institutions of Higher Education (IHE): 12 (7.5%)

• Government: 16 (10%)Other Government Property: 11(6.9%)Military: 5 (3.1%)

• Open Space: 15 (9.4%)• Residential: 7 (4.4%)• Houses of Worship: 6 (3.8%)• Health Care: 4 (2.5%)

At least 25 (15.6%) incidents took place at more than one location.

Educational EnvironmentInstitutions of Higher Education• 2 of 12 shooters were female; 5 were former students, 4 current students, 2

employees, and 1 patient at a medical center.• 5 of 12 incidents occurred on a Friday

Pre-Kindergarten to 12th Grade• 17 of 20 high school and middle school shooters were students at the affected

school.• The majority of school shooters were students 12 of 14 high school and 5 of 6 middle school/junior high).• 9 of the 27 school incidents occurred on a Monday.• 11 incidents ended when unarmed school employees and students successfully

confronted shooters to end the threat.• At least 14 school employees were killed and 16 wounded.

HOW TO RESPOND WHEN AN ACTIVE SHOOTER IS IN YOUR VICINITY

• GET OUT- immediately evacuate if there is a safe escape route, run to the nearest exit and leave the building without running in a straight line.• Have an escape route and plan in mind

before the event occurs.• Leave valuables behind• Keep hands visible

HOW TO RESPOND WHEN AN ACTIVE SHOOTER IS IN YOUR VICINITY

• HIDE OUT- in an area out of the shooters view.

• Lock doors and or block entry to your hiding place.• Silence your cell phone ringer• Close the blinds to your windows• Turn off all lights

HOW TO RESPOND WHEN AN ACTIVE SHOOTER IS IN YOUR VICINITY

• TAKE OUT – as a last resort and only when you are in imminent danger, take action!

• Attempt to incapacitate the active shooter.• Act with extreme physical aggression and use

everything at your disposal as weapons to throw or strike with. Fight as if your life depends on it.

HOW TO RESPOND WHEN AN ACTIVE SHOOTER IS IN YOUR VICINITY

• CALL OUT- only when safe to do so.• dial 911, 9-911• Williamstown Police 458-5733• Campus Safety 597-4444• Use your panic button if you have one

How To Respond When Law Enforcement Arrives

• Remain calm and follow the officers instructions

• Put down any items you have in your hands• Immediately raise hands and spread your

fingers• Keep hands visible at all times• Avoid quick movements towards officers• Avoid pointing, yelling or screaming

Information You Should Provide When Law Enforcement Arrives

• Location of the active shooter• Number of shooter• Physical description of the shooter• Number and type of weapons held by the

shooters• Number of potential victims at the location

Suggested Videos - Active Shooter

• Run-Hide-Fight https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VcSwejU2D0

• Homeland Security-Options for Consideration Active Shooter Training Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI5EoWBRYmo&feature=youtube