A new video from the University of Delaware Police provides three key actions for members of the UD community to take should there be an active shooter incident.

“The likelihood of such an event happening is small,” said UD Police Chief Patrick Ogden, “but, if it should happen, we want everyone in our community to be prepared, to think about how they might react and to have a plan about what to do.”

The 6-minute-and-10-second video – “Surviving an Active Shooter Situation or Similar Emergency” – is narrated by Jason Pires, operations commander for UD Police, and it outlines three actions to take in an active shooter incident: run, hide and fight.

If there is an active shooter, the first and best option is to run. Evacuate the area and get as far away as possible. Once you are safe, call 911 and tell the operator that you are on the UD campus.

If you can’t run, the second option is to hide. Lock the door if possible, barricade entry points, turn off lights and silence cell phones. Spread out; do not huddle together.

If running and hiding are not options, the third option is to fight. Find anything to use as a weapon. “If it’s between you and the shooter,” Pires said, “we want you to survive…. It’s scary to think about, but an active shooter is something that we all need to be prepared for.”

The video, which is embedded above and may be found online at www.udel.edu/police/activeshooter, was produced by University Media Services. Run Hide Fight is a registered trademark of the city of Houston and is used in the video with permission.

This month and next, the video is being screened at New Student Orientation.

UD Alert

In any emergency situation, UD Police will communicate with the University community through its UD Alert system, which uses text, voice and email to notify the campus. Students can update their emergency contact information at any time through UDSIS. Faculty and staff members can update their contact information on UD webforms. For more information, visit the UD Alert website.

For your safety

UD Police officers are available to meet with offices and campus groups who would like to know more about how to respond in the event of a campus emergency. For example, in June, a morning workshop at the Morris Library gave library staff the opportunity to consider how they would react if an incident occurred there.

All members of the University community are reminded to report any suspicious activity. When in doubt, call 911. Timely reporting decreases crime and increases the likelihood of solving crime, prosecuting offenders and recovering stolen property.

For more information about UD Police resources, visit the department’s website, send email to police@udel.edu or call 302-831-2222.