My name is Jim Lane. I am the Dean of Arts,
Humanities and Social Sciences here at Johnson County Community College. For twenty years
before I became Dean I taught in the theater department here. Over those years I have read
hundreds of plays for scripts. The story lines range from Shakespeare to modern comedies
and dramas. Today I would like to share with you about a script where the story line is
written by an individual whose sole purpose is to kill as many people as possible. The
writer of this script is deranged and armed with the intent to threaten the security and
safety of the students and staff on our campus. We will refer to this person as the armed
intruder. They have spent hours and weeks rehearsing their script. Their script reads
this way. They are the wolf with the weapons of destruction, and you are the sheep huddled
in a corner waiting to be slaughtered. Today I would like to share with you some ways you
can write your own script to increase the chances you do not become the victim of an
armed intruder. Staff at Johnson County Community College have been trained in the latest tactics
for dealing with this type of situation. This training has shown those individuals who are
informed how to react in a crises situation, therefore increasing their chances of survival.
To protect members of the college community and the public the College has adopted an effective program
called ALICE. An acronym for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate. In this video
we will explain the philosophy and basic steps of the ALICE program and how it can help you
write a different script. If you observe a dangerous or suspicious looking
person on the main campus, notify the Johnson County Community College's Police Department
immediately at 913-469-2500. If you are at any of the other college locations, call 911.
Answer the dispatcher's questions as accurately as you can; provide
a description of the person's height, weight, clothing and weapon; and the suspect's location.
In fact we encourage you to put the JCCC's Police phone number in your phone's contact
list for quick access in an emergency while on campus.
Another option to contact the JCCC Police is to use one of the campuses outside emergency
phones with the blue light on top. This will connect you directly with the campus Police
dispatch. Once an alert is received the appropriate law enforcement teams starts to respond by
directing officers to the scene and by alerting the campus by emergency text, email and the
campus intercom alert system. If you receive an alert while in a classroom
or office, and your only option is to stay at your current location because the shooter
is close by, you should close and lock the outer door immediately. Many classrooms on
campus do not have doors that lock so you should attempt to barricade the door using
chairs or desk in the room. Barriers that alter the intruder's script could increase
your survival chances. Another option is to wrap a belt or cord around the door handle
to keep it shut if the door opens outward. Hitting a moving target is difficult. Spreading
out, movement and distractions are important if the intruder does enter the room. You want
to make it difficult for the intruder to follow his script of stationary targets. Your script
in responding to an intruder in the room, or close by, may need to include evacuating
as soon as possible. In a crisis situation getting correct information
is crucial to improving your chances for survival. "Hold on second. Okay, I'm getting an emergency
alert. We need to evacuate this building right now! Leave your stuff here."
This information will give you the knowledge to make the right decisions about your safety.
In the event of an emergency Johnson County Community College will provide information
several ways. Such as our emergency texts. The campus intercom warning system can be
heard inside the hallways and outdoors in the main campus courtyard areas. There are
also TV monitors throughout the buildings that will alert the campus community and you
can also receive emergency information through the campus email system or the JCCC website.
The main goal of this step is to disrupt the ability of the intruder to use his weapon
and to act out his script. If an armed intruder enters a classroom and an escape is not possible
everyone should just start throwing some objects. A book, a backpack, purses, laptops, chairs
all at the head of the intruder then either scatter about the room and head for the exit
or swarm and subdue the attacker. The intruder has five appendages. Two arms,
two legs, and the head. If you control the head, you control the body. But you have to
immobilize him first by having one person attack each of the arms and legs, and then
force the intruder to the ground while another person grabs his head. If the weapon comes
free, grab it, put it in a trash can away from the struggle. Call the police while continuing
to hold the subject on the ground until the authorities arrive. Remember the police are
looking for somebody holding a weapon. You don't want to be the one holding it when they
arrive. The best case scenario is for you to be able
to exit the room as quickly as possible to escape an intruder. As you enter a classroom
for the first time take a moment to observe ways to leave the room in an emergency. If
there is only one door, observe the windows. If the room is above the ground floor, is
there a ledge or a location on the outside that you could safely occupy until help arrives?
Think about your script and develop a plan on how you will act out your story before
trouble occurs. We hope you are never put in a situation where
you need to write a different script from your normal day on campus. However, knowing
the philosophy of the ALICE program and using it when necessary may increase your chances
of survival when confronted by an armed intruder. We believe students and staff may have a great
opportunity to avoid an injury or death by following these steps and realizing they do
not have to fall victim to the intruder's script. Thank you for your attention today.
And for more information about the A.L.I.C.E. program and to sign up to attend a full training
session contact the office of Emergency Preparedness. (music)