At Bates College, we take seriously the safety of our campus community, and this includes preparing for emergencies, even if they are unlikely to take place here. One of those unlikely emergencies is an active shooter, and this video is designed to educate and prepare our faculty, staff, and students with the knowledge and tools needed to respond effectively in such a situation.

Bates College has several layers of preparedness and systems to respond to the threat of an active shooter. This includes SERG which is the Senior Emergency Response Group trained in emergency management, a mass text campus notification system, community training such as this video, ID scan access to buildings, lockable doors wherever possible, a trained Campus Safety team, the Bates CARE Collaborative, and a close collaboration with the Lewiston Police Department.

If there is ever an active shooter on campus, Campus Safety or SERG will immediately notify the campus community by sending an emergency text message. We test the emergency message system each semester to ensure the system works, that our database includes all community members, and to encourage recipients to save the Bates Campus Safety contact in their phone.

If you ever find yourself in the midst of an active shooter situation, remember the three actions you can take: Run, Hide, and Fight. This video will review these important responses.

Run

When safe, the best action in an active shooter event is to run. If your path is clear, and you can safely reach an exit, evacuate as soon as possible. When running:

• Commit to running if you choose to
• Have a safe exit path in mind
• Once clear of danger, make contact with 911 to assist emergency response by providing them as much information and specifics as possible.

Once you are in a safe location, and only after you reach safety, notify 911 as soon as possible. If you don’t have a phone, you can contact Campus Safety by pressing the large red button on a blue light security phone. Campus Safety will be working closely with police to relay the information that you provide. Also, warn others from entering an area where the shooter may be.

If you see police while running, remain calm and follow their instructions. Keep your hands up and empty as you clear the building. The first team of police is going to be focused on engaging and eliminating the threat, not immediately treating any wounded.

Hide

If running is not an option because the shooter is in close proximity, find a place to hide. When hiding:

• Lock the door
• Barricade the door with heavy objects such as a desk, or find something to wedge it shut
• Turn off lights
• Move away from windows and close blinds
• Stay close to the ground
• Hide behind large objects
• Silence your cell phone
• Stay quiet
• Remember, hiding does not prevent you from putting up a fight or quickly exiting later if you need to

Fight

In the event that you are directly confronted by the shooter and your life is in immediate danger, be prepared to fight. Act with determination and decisiveness. If you are hiding, it is best to prepare to fight just in case. When fighting:

• Fighting is a last resort
• Use heavy or sharp objects in the area such as pens, hot coffee, fire extinguishers, books, or other common items
• Work with others in the area if possible to overwhelm the attacker together
• Commit to your actions

Commit

In these situations, you must decide for yourself whether it is best to run, hide, or fight. The most important thing you can do to keep yourself safe – whether it is to run, hide, or to fight – is to commit to your decision. Go with your immediate and informed instincts and then continuously re-evaluate the situation.

By familiarizing ourselves with these Run, Hide, Fight strategies, we can enhance our collective safety as a community. We hope an active shooter situation does not happen at Bates however, it’s important that we are prepared. Remember that your actions make a difference in an active shooter scenario. Thank you for your attention to this training and commitment to safety.

Call 207-786-6111 or 911 when it is safe to do so.