ASHLEY HIGGINBOTHAM | Reporter
Lindenwood University’s Public Safety and Security Office is holding an active shooter training for students this Saturday.
The training comes while school shootings like the one that took 17 lives Wednesday at a Florida high school are fresh on everyone’s minds.
“It’s all about education,” said John Bowman, director of Public Safety and Security. “We’re not going to have armed guards in every classroom or anything like that.”
The training will focus on both the 4 E’s and “Run. Hide. Fight.”
The 4 E’s implement educate, evade, escape and engage. This ties in with what the Department of Homeland Security says to do, and that’s “Run, Hide, Fight.”
“If they can get away, get away,” Bowman said. “If they are able to secure a room, lock it and turn the lights off.”
If there is no other option, Bowman said to confront the shooter.
“If it comes down to it, defend yourself,” he said.
On the emergency procedures sheets around campus, an “active shooter” section was included beginning in 2012. On Lindenwood’s website under “student resources,” a video created by the Department of Homeland Security that is available for anyone to watch as well.
Student community advisers already have participated over the summer, and many faculty and staff members participate in the training during the weeks that campus is closed.
The free training is from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 17, at the AB Leadership Room in Spellmann Center. It’s open to the first 40 students who register.
