Educating your family on active shooter situations

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Willard Brown
  • 47th Security Forces Squadron plans and programs
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Most military members are now familiar with the term active shooter. Last Spring, the 47th Security Forces Squadron and the 47th Antiterrorism Force Protection Office completed a series of training sessions at Anderson Hall. Training continues at the base intro briefings.

While it is important for us to make sure our military members are educated on active shooter scenarios, it is equally important that we educate our family members on what to do during an active shooter situation. Below are a few suggestions for educating your family members:

- Make sure your family members are aware of how the local 911 system works. Your family members need to know that a call to 911 from a cell phone may go to the county dispatch. They will need to inform the operator that they are calling from Laughlin.

- Ensure your family members know what to report when calling 911. The dispatcher will need a description of the gunman, a direction of travel and what type of gun or guns the gunman was carrying.

- Educate your family members to remain behind some type of cover. In addition to remaining behind some type of cover or concealment, remind family members to turn down cell phones or other devices that could draw attention to them.

- Make sure your family is familiar with the terms "lockdown" and "all clear". Lockdown means that all movement on base stops and all personnel seek shelter. During the initial phase of lockdown, only law enforcement will be moving. When the command of "all clear" is given, personnel are allowed to move about freely.

- Advise your family that lockdown procedures could remain in place for several hours. Lockdown procedures will remain in effect until Security Forces has determined there are no additional threats to the base. Family members should avoid calling 911 in attempts to locate family members. They should also avoid the temptation to pick up children at school or the CDC.