What should you do if you are confronted with an active shooter event?
The Texas Department of Public Safety and Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training will offer a free Civilian Response to Active Attack events course from 9 to 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, Oct. 29 at First Baptist Church, 2500 Mallard Lane.
Since 2002, the ALERT program has been used to train law enforcement officers from all over the United States at Texas State University on how to respond quickly to dangerous situations such as active shooter events.
This civilian course is a response to citizens requesting guidance on the role they can play to prepare for such situations as well.
“This course is in response to intruder events that have taken place in our state and surrounding areas,” said Mike Caplinger, who helped organize this event, and represents the security team for First Baptist Church.
“The course is two and a half hours, and outlines procedures that civilians in churches, businesses, etc. should take to hopefully to stay alive in an intruder/shooter event.
The course is the latest research by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Our main presenter is Carl Weeks, who is the Legislative Coordinator of the Office of Government Relations for Texas Department of Public Safety.” The course is sponsored by the First Baptist Church and is offered free of charge to anyone.
No preregistration is required. Childcare and related health workers can receive two and a half hours of continuing education credits.
During the course, participants will learn the Avoid, Deny and Defend method to remember key strategies to maximize personal safety until law enforcement is able to arrive and stop the threat.
Tips will include what to say when you call 911 and how to behave once law enforcement arrives on the scene.
“Over the years, we have seen response times shorten and the capabilities of law enforcement increase,” organizers said. “As a result of increased public awareness, many citizens have asked what they can do to protect themselves and reduce the dangers faced during one of these events. As we have seen, hiding and hoping is not a very effective strategy, and Avoid, Deny, Defend has been developed as an easy-to-remember method for civilians of all ages and abilities to follow.”
For more information, go to www.avoiddenydefend. org or call 512-424-7272.
