Regardless of the conflicting opinions Americans might have about gun control, there is consensus among institutions, agencies and businesses in a demand for programs that provide training in the event of a shooting incident.
Auburn has developed its own training program provided by the University's Department of Public Safety and Security.
The Active Shooter Response Training course is offered to everyone on campus, both employees and students alike.
"The goal of the course is to provide people with options if they ever find [themselves] in a situation such as an active shooter situation, or where someone is wanting to cause them harm; and providing the options so that they can make a quick decision," said Chance Corbett, associate director of emergency management.
"As you know, most of these things, when they do happen, they are very fast to unfold, and the situation is over before you know it. You
may not have a lot of time to make those decisions, and trying to figure out what those decisions are at the time [is] going to be a little hard for you."
Active Shooter Response is part of a two-hour Emergency Preparedness course offered to students.
The basic structure of the training is contained within an acronym, ALICE. ALICE stands for: Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate.
Corbett said that the ALICE program was developed from techniques used by Special Forces, law enforcement and studies of the results from scenarios like Flight 93 during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The training focuses on providing options of different reactions that can be taken during the potential scenarios of a shooting incident.
Accounts of events that have happened during the late 60's in Texas, up to the most recent Sandy Hook incident, have been taken into consideration for the training.
Escaping, if possible, is the primary course of action prescribed by the training. But if that is not an option, the course offers scenarios to help prepare the trainee for the event of an altercation with the gunman.
Primarily it focuses on not being complicit in a scenario when it is ensured that the person intends on harming others, and it stresses other alternatives first, such as barricading the classroom.
The course, which Corbett largely developed, is a recent addition to the Emergency Preparedness training, having only been offered on campus since spring of last year.
Corbett has an extensive background in law enforcement and emergency management. He also worked with the Russell County Sheriff 's Department as a member of the local SWAT team, of which he served as the leader for three years.
The course, though relatively new to campus, has been provided by Corbett to police departments, and most recently to the Alabama Department of Transportation.
"It became apparent to me through some of the resources that I had, that active shooter events were becoming more and more prevalent in our society... it's always been an issue, since 1966 with the University of Texas, when that guy got up in the tower and started shooting folks," said Bob McWhorter, director of AL DO T's Office of Homeland Security.
He said he received positive feedback from the employees that attended the training.
"That training is important because it stresses awareness of the risks that we face in the workplace, or really any public place," said Tony Harris, the bureau's chief of media and community relations.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
