In the wake of recent tragedies in El Paso and Dayton mass shootings continue to shake our nation’s core and incite a conversation about increasing the frequency of drills in high schools, colleges, and even workplaces. These drills center on the idea that such mass shootings can and do happen anywhere, even in supposed “safe havens” of learning, religion and business that are so integral to American ideas and systems.
At Asbury, the “Run, Hide, Fight” drill was instituted in the 2018-19 academic year to prepare campus in case one of these horrific events were to happen. In last year’s Sept. 28 Campus Pulse poll, the Asbury Collegian found several students questioning the effectiveness of such a drill on this campus, noting the relative safety of Wilmore and the potential to generate needless fear. The Run, Hide, Fight drill is a necessary thing to implement on campus as it prepares students mentally and physically for an emergency, creates a plan by which members of the Asbury community can be kept informed and safe, and enables security and the local police department to effectively and efficiently implement their training.
In emergency situations such as an active shooter, there is a clear relationship between experience in preparedness and an individual’s reaction to such chaos and fear. According to Asbury’s Head of Security David Hay, “When emergencies occur people only know what to do if they have a plan. The military and first responders call the strategy the ‘6 P’s’: Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance.” This tactic is at the heart of the Run, Hide, Fight drill. The goal of the drill is not to stir up fear surrounding the idea of such a traumatic situation; rather, the drill creates a practical approach by which injury and loss of life can be mitigated.
At Asbury, we chose the Run, Hide, Fight drill because, according to Hay, it is “situational and dynamic, meaning everyone must pick a strategy based on the situation in that moment, and realize the situation may change, which means more than one aspect of ‘Run, Hide, Fight’ may be needed during the period of a violent threat.” These drills are immensely beneficial to students. “I feel that this drill made me feel much more prepared if an emergency happened on campus,” junior Emily Sztajer said. “Now that I know the procedures, I can act on them.”
As a whole, campus’ participation in and familiarity with these drills is paramount to personal and communal safety. As students, we are obligated to follow the basic rule of “See Something, Say Something,” both to Switchboard and 911, if the situation warrants such a call. According to Campus Safety Magazine in an article published in August 2019, “the phrase ‘See Something, Say Something’ has proven successful time and again in stopping tragic situations, particularly school shooting threats.” It is immensely important for the student body to be aware of what is going on around campus and how to report it if something is immediately dangerous or just seems strange.
Unfortunately, one cannot expect emergencies to only happen in places that have practiced response plans. However, “This type of preparation goes well beyond the years at Asbury University, and may help facilitate a lifetime of awareness, preparedness, and safety,” said Hay. Taking the time to educate oneself and learn emergency preparedness skills is a necessary component of living in the 21st century.
