By Eric W. Schoen
A few years after the tragedy in Columbine, I was at a meeting discussing school security in the face of an active shooter. We were devising plans and procedures and the person next to me said, ‘Eric. If my kid was in that environment I would hope that he or one of the big kids would run toward the shooter, knock him down, knock the weapon out of his hand and beat the crap out of him.’
And in 2008 the Office of Homeland Security settled on three simple words for those involved in a situation with an active shooter: Evacuate, Hide or Take Action. These words apply whether you are in a school in Florida, a grocery store, Congressmen on a Baseball field or dancing in a discotheque.
And so we have another school shooting taking the lives of precious young people and their teachers. It’s becoming an everyday occurrence. And the politicization that comes with these events from Democrats and Republicans before the bodies have been taken out of the school building or sent to heaven and buried in the ground is disgusting.
Police Officers in Every School. There were 900 students in 30 classrooms in the building where the suspect did his deadly deed. Apparently 4000 students in the series of buildings that make up the school. Yes there was one police officer for 4000 students.
Now if you believe 1 armed police officer could have stopped this shooting, the Bridge in Brooklyn is Still available for sale!
Yes, in this day and age there should be police officers in school buildings. But remember folks have you to pay for them. When they become active in the school community it makes everyone feel safer. But please, don’t think 1 police officer is going to be able to stop what took place in Florida. The minute the suspect pulled the fire alarm, sadly there wasn’t much that could be done. His spree was swift because he had a gun that quickly discharged bullets.
Do we need these types of guns pumping out bullets quickly. They have something attached to them called a bump-stock. Even President Trump is coming to realize that bump stocks aren’t necessary and regulations are being drawn up to limit their use.
But let’s look at the shooter in Parkland, Florida. There were so many signs that he was ready to cause trouble. Conversations with other students, social media postings, he was on the FBI radar. Sadly no one did anything. The depth and breadth of the warning signs here were greater than other similar shootings. The blame is going to end up being put on someone. But in this situation you can’t cast blame on just one person.
The suspect clearly needed mental health services. He had lost a parent, and had recently moved in with a friend and his parents. The family thought they had the only key to the safe where the gun was stored. They later learned that they were not.
Mental Health services in this country are not easy to obtain and expensive for those who have insurance or do not. Try to fine a psychiatrist who takes insurance and is available to see a patient in crisis!
The FBI gets thousands of tips yet can only follow up on a small number. They just don’t have the manpower. All of these politicians who blame the FBI and local law enforcement for not following up? Where are they when it comes to putting there money where there mouth is and properly funding these agencies.
Politicians jump up and down and hold Sunday press conferences with brilliant ideas. Yet nothing gets done.
I was surprised to learn that only three states not including New York have Extreme Risk Protection Orders. These orders allow families and law enforcement to petition a court to temporarily suspend a person’s access to firearms if there is documented evidence that an individual is threatening harm to themselves or others. This is common sense legislation. What is New York State waiting for? The New York State Senate Democrat/Republican coalition has stopped this legislation in its tracks. Even more reason why we must elect legislators like Shelly Mayer to the State Senate so that the majority in the Senate are true Democrats.
So where do we go from here? The Department of Homeland Security as an excellent publication everyone should read. The title: Active Shooter: How to Respond. Here is a link for the publication online https://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/active_shooter_booklet.pdf
Whether you are a school or a business, the cover page allows you to fill in the emergency numbers you need to have ready at hand in an active shooter situation. Police, Fire, Hospital, FBI field office, and information for the facility you are in.
The publication defines an active shooter and best practices for dealing with an active shooter. Things like being aware of the location of 2 of the nearest exits in the facility you are in. Being aware of floor plans in the building you are in, And it clearly states that as a last resort, you should attempt to take the shooter down and/or incapacitate him or her by yelling, throwing items and improvising weapons, acting aggressively to the shooter and most importantly committing to your actions.
The publication defines how to be prepared when law enforcement arrives on the scene. In active shooter situations did you know officers work together in groups of four. How to react when law enforcement arrives and what to tell them or 911 operators to assist in finding the active shooter and keeping everyone safe.
Staff Training, development of an Emergency Action Plan and the role of Human Resources, Facility Managers and what do to if you have a person with disabilities involved. Tips for Recognizing workplace and school violence and dealing with the after affects are included.
Every student, teacher, administrator and staff member should have a copy of the Homeland Security publication and familiarize themselves with it ahead of time. Drills are important several times during the course of the year. If the publication gathers dust on the school or office bookshelf or if you think you can simply pull it out in the middle of an active shooter situation, don’t kid yourself. Plans are only effective if people in the environment are familiar with them.
I am not an expert on guns but there are enough intelligent reasonable people out there to come up with responsible gun control legislation. The gunman in Parkland, Florida followed all the rules to obtain his weapons but triggers that should have prevented him from obtaining a weapon including so many people in the community being aware of what he wanted to do and everyone from the FBI on down not doing the work, for whatever reason they are charged with.
And remember, if a bad person wants to get his hands on a gun he or she will and all the gun control legislation, procedures and policies and prayers will not stop if from happening. Always be aware of your surrounding and if you see something, SAY SOMETHING! That’s what it comes down to!
Reach Eric Schoen at thistooisyonkers@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter @ericyonkers. Listen to Eric Schoen and Dan Murphy on the Westchester Rising Radio Show Thursday’s from 10-11 a.m. On WVOX 1460 AM or WVOX.com and click on listen live.
