Lockdowns Aren’t Much Help If There Is An Active Killer, Expert Tells Local Teachers

If an active killer (the term that is replacing active shooter) comes into a school, office or industrial building, experts say a lockdown is not always the best course of action.

Michael C. Kimball, an instructor for the ALICE training institute, recently worked Bristol Township teachers and administrators, police and medics on how to properly respond to a worst case situation.

Kimball said a lockdown has been the preferred way schools, industrial complexes and large offices responded if someone came into their facilities with the intention to kill. He said that in many cases, lives can be saved if people follow a simple set of options: Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate (ALICE.)

The school officials and first responders gathered at Harry S. Truman High School in Bristol Township last Monday and Tuesday to learn about the ALICE program and also practice how they would react in an active killer situation.

Bristol Township School District Interim Superintendent Melanie Gehrens said the program gave educators a fresh look at what to do in an active killer situation. She said the staged drill put teachers in a real world situation and helped them acclimate to the stress they would face.

Learning what to do and practicing how to handle the stress of an active killer situation is something that can help save lives in an active shoot situation, Kimball said.

One of the Bristol Township officers involved in the training, Sgt. Kevin Burns said he thinks the ALICE program will save lives in the unfortunate scenario Bristol Township schools have to deal with an active killer.

The retired California police officer, who has dealt with being shot at and responding to active shooters, told those attending this week’s classes how to bridge the gap between when an incident starts and when police arrive.

He told educators that hiding the classroom bathroom or in a corner is not effective and just makes it easier for the killer. He suggested teachers and their students try to flee the building, put objects in the killer’s way to slow him or fight them if there are no other options.

“Each person makes the best decision for them,” Kimball said. “If you can evade and run, okay. You find what works in the situation”

Research has shown that a number of distractions during active killer situations have slowed the subjects and helped save lives. Kimball told LevittownNow.com that “disrupting the killer in any way could stop the incident or delay it until police arrive.”

Lockdowns came about during the mid-20th Century and were intended to keep intruders out. With active killers, schools need to get students away from the killers already inside their building to minimize the loss of life, Kimball said.

Bill Barron of the unarmed Bristol Township School Police Department said the training will be brought back to each school and trickle down to students and each building staff member.

Officials will work to determine how changes can be made to current district emergency procedures following the ALICE training, Gehrens said.

Those in this week’s ALICE training were taught to “learn it to live it.”