MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University is renewing its commitment to the safety and security of its campus by educating students and employees about how to respond if they are ever confronted with a hostile intruder.
Northwest’s University Police Department recently produced a series of four instructional videos to educate the campus community about “Secure, Evaluate, Act” – a set of steps individuals can take to quickly process and react to a dangerous situation – and “Run, Hide, Fight,” a set of tactics used to avoid or confront a violent intruder.
The series refreshes the content of a single video Northwest produced in 2013 to educate the campus community about “Run, Hide, Fight.” The new videos reinforce that strategy and introduce the concept of “Secure, Evaluate, Act.”
All Northwest employees and student employees are being asked to view the videos.
“First and foremost, I pray it never happens on our campus. I don’t want anybody in this area to experience a tragedy like that,” Lt. Mike Ceperley, Northwest’s emergency management coordinator, said. “But if it does, I want people to fall back on some knowledge and say, ‘I know what to do. I have an idea on how to protect my life and those around me, and that’s by quick actions.’ It’s making decisions and moving quickly, but having the options already in mind of what you can and can’t do.”
The dramatic videos, which are modeled after a U.S. Department of Homeland Security course, were filmed during the span of a few months last year on the Northwest campus. Running about five to seven minutes each, the videos feature Northwest students, faculty and staff reacting to the sound of gunfire and following “Run, Hide, Fight” protocols in University office areas, classrooms and residence halls.
Northwest’s University Police Department developed the concept of “Secure, Evaluate, Act” to build on the strategies of “Run, Hide, Fight,” and Ceperley noted “Secure, Evaluate, Act” can be used in nearly any threatening situation.
“These are things we can do as soon as you hear or think something’s not right,” Ceperley said. “These are things that we can put in place because the quicker we act, the better our chances of survival are going to be in any situation.”
“Secure, Evaluate, Act” first instructs individuals to protect themselves by securing their area and getting out of sight. Then, evaluate your environment by listening for gunfire or commotion and gathering information from emergency alerts or social media. Finally, act by deciding on a plan.
That’s where “Run, Hide, Fight” comes in. It provides guidelines for getting out of harm’s way, finding a place to hide or – as a last resort – taking aggressive measures to overwhelm and take down the intruder.
“Secure, Evaluate, Act” is the latest initiative in Northwest’s ongoing efforts to enhance the safety and preparedness of its students, employees and community. The University routinely participates in table-top exercises, live scenarios and other emergency preparedness activities to ensure the campus is properly prepared to address a variety of scenarios.