An active shooter/killer emergency involves one or more persons, using a firearm or other weapons engaging in a random or systematic shooting/killing spree. While the vast majority of shootings in this country are over in a matter of minutes, involving persons known to one another, and are confined to a particular area, the active shooter/killer incident does not follow this template. This type of incident can last for minutes or hours, range over a large and constantly changing area, and threaten everyone within close proximity of the shooter/killer(s).

Persons may or may not receive advance warning of an active shooter/killer. A witness, personal observation or the sound of gunshots may be the only alert you receive, leaving little time to react. Then sound of gunshots, unlike special effects in movies and

television, may sound muffled and make a “pop, pop, pop” noise. It is reasonable to assume that a series of such noises are gunshots and you should begin to take necessary precautions.

Traditional response to this type of incident has been to shelter in place and wait for the police to arrive. While this type of response is not completely wrong, case studies of several active shooter/killer incidents have shown that using only this response has resulted in an increase in casualties. The Solano Community College has adopted the “ALICE” response plan to assist you in your response should this type of incident occur.

ALICE

 “ALICE” is an acronym for 5 steps you can utilize in order to increase your chances of surviving a surprise attack by an Active Shooter. It is important to remember that the “ALICE” response does not follow a set of actions you “shall, must, will” do when confronted with an Active Shooter. Your survival is paramount in this situation. Deal with known information and don’t worry about unknowns. You may use only 1 or 2 parts of the response plan or you may have to utilize all 5. In this type of incident, your perception is the reality and you will be deciding what the appropriate action for you to take is.

• Alert- Is When you first are aware of a threat. It can be
  • Hearing/witnessing gunfire
  • Immediately call 911 or DPS at 707-580-6526
  • Warning from witnesses that an active shooter/killer is in the area
  • Regroup alert messages from the College Department of Public Safety
  • Sooner you understand that you and your students are in danger the sooner you can take actions to save yourself and your

• Lockdown- If EVACUATION is not a safe option then:
  • Lock the
  • Barricade the door with anything available (desks, chairs, )
  • Cover any windows in the door if possible
  • Tie down the door, if possible, using belts, purse straps, shoe laces,
  • Look for alternate escape routes (windows, other doors)
  • Move out of the doorway in case gunfire comes through it
  • Silence all cell phones
  • Once secured, do not open the door for anyone. Police will enter the room when the situation is
  • Gather weapons (coffee cups, chairs, books, pens, etc.) and mentally prepare to defend yourself or
  • Put yourself in position to surprise the active shooter should they enter the

• Inform- Using any means necessary to pass on real time
  • Given in plain
  • Can be derived from 911 calls, video surveillance,
  • Who, what, where, when and how information
  • Can be used by people in the area or who may come into it to make common sense

• Counter- This is the use of simple, proactive techniques should you be confronted by the Active Shooter/Killer.
  • Anything can be a weapon
  • Throws things at the shooters head to disrupt their aim
  • Create as much noise as possible
  • Attack in a group (swarm)
  • Grab the shooter/killer’s limbs and head and take this person to the ground and hold this person
  • Fight dirty-bite, kick, scratch, gouge eyes,
  • Run around the room and create chaos
  • If you have control of the shooter call 911 and tell the police where you are and listen to their commands when officers arrive on

• Evacuate- Remove yourself from the danger zone as quickly as
  • Decide if you can safely evacuate
  • Run in a zigzag pattern as fast as you can
  • Do not stop running until you are far away from the area
  • Bring something to throw with you in case you would encounter the Active Shooter
  • Consider if the fall from a window will kill you
  • Break out windows and attempt to quickly clear glass from the frame
  • Consider using belts, clothing or other items as an improvised rope to shorten the distance you would fall
  • Hang by your hands from the window ledge to shorten your drop

• Attempt to drop into shrubs, mulch or grass to lessen the chance of injury
• Do not attempt to drive from the area

Secondary Issues 

• Responding Law Enforcement officers will have their weapons drawn and ready for use. They do not know exactly who the shooter/killer is and will probably point weapons at you. Just remain calm and follow any directions they may give you. You may be asked questions, patted down, and given orders to exit certain
• Responding Law Enforcement officers are there to stop the Active Shooter/Killer as soon as possible. They will bypass injured people and will not help you escape. Only after the shooter is stopped will they begin to provide other
• If you come into possession of a weapon, DO NOT, carry or brandish it! Police may think you are the Active Shooter/Killer. If possible, put it in a trashcan and carry it with you. If you come across Police, calmly tell them what you are carrying and why. Follow their
• Be prepared to have to provide first aid. Think outside the box. Tampons and feminine napkins can be used to stop blood loss. Shoes laces and belts can be used to secure tourniquets. Weighted shoes can be tied around a person’s head to immobilize it. Remember it may be several hours until can safely move an injured person. The actions you take immediately to treat them may save their life.
• If you are in lockdown for a long period of time, give consideration to issues such as bathroom use, keeping people calm,
• Discuss beforehand with people in your office or classes where you will meet up should you have to evacuate and make it a place easily accessible and far away from the
• Talk to your students and co-workers beforehand to know if they have any special skills. Consider strategic placement of these people in a classroom or office setting. You may have current or ex-military personnel, medically trained persons that can provide assistance in this type of
• Consider setting up classrooms and offices to make it harder for an Active Shooter/Killer to enter and acquire

Most bomb threats are received by phone. Bomb threats are serious until proven otherwise. Act quickly, but remain calm and obtain information with the checklist on this page. Read more about Bomb Threats and Suspicious Packages.

**Do not use two-way radios or cell phones. Radio and cell phone signals have the potential to detonate a bomb. Do not activate the fire alarm. Do not touch or move a suspicious package.**

How to Handle A Bomb Threat

Receiving a bomb threat can be scary. Here are some tips on what you can do to handle a bomb threat depending on the method it was received.

By Phone

Remain calm. Keep the caller on the line for as long as possible. DO NOT HANG UP, even if the caller does.

Listen carefully. Be polite and show interest.

Try to keep the caller talking to learn more information.

If possible, write a note to a colleague to call the authorities or, as soon as the caller hangs up, immediately notify them yourself.

If your phone has a display, copy the number and/or letters on the window display.

Complete the Bomb Threat Checklist immediately. Write down as much detail as you can remember. Try to get exact words.

Immediately upon termination of the call, do not hang up, but from a different phone, contact DPS immediately with information and await instructions.

By Handwritten Note

Call DPS at 707-580-6526 on any campus telephone. Handle note as minimally as possible.

By Email

Call the Parking Control Department 707-580-6526.  Do not delete the message.

By Suspicious Package

Some indications of a suspicious package are when there is/are:

• No return addresses
• Excessive postage
• Poor handwriting or misspelled words
• Incorrect titles
• Foreign postage
• Restrictive notes
• Stains
• Strange odor
• Strange sounds
• Unexpected delivery

**Remember, DO NOT use two-way radios or cell phones. Radio signals have the potential to detonate a bomb. DO NOT activate the fire alarm. DO NOT touch or move a suspicious package.**

It is the policy of Solano Community College to issue an emergency notification anytime there is an immediate threat to the health and safety of all staff and students. This includes off site campuses when college students or staff are present on campus.

Timely Warnings and Emergency Notifications is when a crime covered by the Clery Act occurs, campus officials are required to evaluate if there is a serious or ongoing threat to the campus community to determine if a timely warning needs to be issued to all staff and students. An emergency notification supersedes a timely warning.

In the event of an emergency, the Chief of Department of Public Safety is to be notified and will determine if an Emergency Notification is to be sent out. In the event of his/her absence, his/her designee will determine if a warning will be issued.  The chief or his/her designee will without delay, consider the safety of the campus community, determine the content of the notification and determine how the notification will be issued. Unless the notification in their professional judgment, will compromise efforts to assist a victim or to contain, respond to, or otherwise mitigate the emergency.

If an emergency warning is issued, DPS can post information on Facebook and use the Regroup/Solano SAFE systems so the message can be sent to cellular, landline phones and work emails. After the threat has been neutralized, DPS will provide follow up information in the same manner that it was issued.

The Chief of Department of Public Safety will coordinate an annual test for staff students of the Emergency Notification System. It can be done through the Regroup and Solano SAFE systems and by posting on at least one of the web sites available.

In the event it is determined that an emergency notification should not be issued but that there is an ongoing threat to students or staff or will aid in the prevention of similar crimes; a timely warning will be issued. A timely warning should be posted on student information boards, places where students comingle or posted on the website. It should include the date, time, location and what the ongoing threat is, as well who the students /staff should contact if they have any questions or information that can help.

DPS will put out as much information as possible without jeopardizing an ongoing criminal investigation or the safety of an individual, cause a suspect to flee or evade detection, or result in the destruction of evidence.

In the event of an evacuation, assisting others can greatly improve outcomes. Here are some tips to assist those with visual disabilities, hearing impairments, and mobility impairments.

Assisting Persons with Visual Impairments

Explain the nature of the emergency. Alarms or confusion may disorient a person, even when normally familiar with the area.

Guide the student (or provide someone to do so). Students will take the guide’s arm below the elbow and will follow. Tell the student where you are as you walk. Advise them of any obstacles in the path.

When you have reached safety, orient the person to where he or she is and ask if any further assistance is needed before leaving.

Assisting Persons with Hearing Impairments

Get the person’s attention by flashing room lights, waving your arms, or tapping the person’s shoulder. When you would like to explain what to do, gesture what is happening or write on paper or whiteboards.

Assisting Persons with Mobility Impairments

First, ask the person if they have special mobility needs or requirements. Persons using wheelchairs can be pushed or accompanied to safety. Persons using canes, crutches, or walkers can evacuate themselves or be accompanied to safety.

When encountering stairwells or when a rapid evacuation is required, persons using assistive mobility devices may need to be maneuvered differently. Unless the situation is imminently life threatening, first call Campus Safety or other trained college staff and wait for help before transferring people. Special evacuation chairs may be used for stairway evacuation or to transport injured or non-ambulatory persons.

How do I know what makes a package or letter “suspicious”? And what should you do?

Sometimes a person will make a telephone or email threat prior to leaving a package, regardless of that, please contact Department of Public Safety (DPS) at (707-580-6526) as soon as that happens (see below sections on how to respond to these types of threats). Some suspicious-looking packages are not actually weapons or look humorous because of how they are addressed or marked— but it’s still important to take them seriously. Here’s an example of what one might look like:

• No return addresses
• Restrictive markings, i.e. “Personal!”
• Oily stains, discolorations, or crystallization on wrapper
• Strange odor
• Excessive tape
• Envelope sealed with tape
• Address errors
  • Misspelled words
  • Addressed to title only
  • Incorrect title
  • Badly typed or written
• Excessive postage
• Lopsided or uneven
• Rigid or bulky

So, if you see one, be careful to avoid touching it and encourage others in the area to do the same. Although you might want to sniff, smell, or shake the package to see what’s in it, please do not do so as it is safer to wait for us to investigate. If you can, calmly encourage others to leave the area as soon as possible and notify DPS at     (707) 580-6526.

What if you have already opened the package?

Since it might contain dangerous powders or agents, be sure to wash your hands before touching anything else, and you don’t need to clean up anything that might have spilled out. Our goal is to protect you while minimizing contamination—so you can help by staying nearby and letting us know who else was in the area when you found the package. We’ll take care of the rest.

What makes a backpack, duffel bag, laptop case, etc. suspicious?

If the item is lying unattended and or it seems out of place, please contact Campus Safety. An officer will respond to determine if there is any threat, if it is determined there is no threat, the officer will take the item for safe keeping and attempt to locate the owner. If for whatever reason the officers determine there might possibly be a threat, the area will be evacuated, and local authorities will be contacted to respond and examine the item.

What if someone makes a phone threat about an explosive device or a weapon?

If you can record the live call, that would be most helpful. Otherwise, signal to nearby faculty or staff that a threat is occurring, and try to write down what the caller tells you.

Here are some steps you can take:

• Write down exactly what the caller says—if possible, ask him or her to repeat the information.
• Try to keep the caller speaking with you by asking questions.
• For instance, try asking where the device or the person is. Calmly let the caller know that many people could be harmed; it’s possible that the person is calling because he or she doesn’t want to follow through with this threat.
• As you listen, do you notice any background noises like other voices, cars, freeways, or music? Is there anything distinct about the caller’s voice or the way the person speaks? Is his or her tone calm or angry?
• Even if the caller hangs up, keep your end of the call active or press “hold.” Cell phones might automatically disconnect, and that’s okay, just take note of when the call ended and how long it lasted.

We appreciate you taking the time to read this and prepare yourself for this type of threat. Be sure to call DPS at (707) 580-6526 to share your notes and observations with us; this will help us to coordinate with the Fairfield Fire Department. We also understand that you will want to tell others on campus about what happened or post information on social media, but it’s safest for everyone if you allow us to notify others. Our goal is to keep everyone safe and to do this we need to avoid causing panic.

What if you find an emailed threat?

Treat it as a genuine threat, even if it seems like it might be a joke, or you are not sure what the person’s intent is.

These can be frightening, especially since they could be from someone on campus or across the world. Fortunately, we can help. With assistance from the Solano Community College Information Technology Services and the Fairfield Police Department and the Solano County Sheriff’s Office we can trace emails or identify server logs to see how a message was handled.

So, if you find an emailed, social media, or otherwise digital threat, just keep it accessible on your screen. Then call DPS at (707) 580-6526 so we can record all the important information.

Sometimes a threat is written on paper, in a restroom, or on a wall.

These might have useful fingerprints or other evidence, so it’s best to avoid touching them. Instead, immediately call Campus Safety at (707) 580-6526. Try to take note of where and when you found the threat and whether you noticed anything else unusual about the people or area nearby. While you might desire to notify other people in the area, we can handle that, so others aren’t unnecessarily frightened. However, if you ever suspect that your life or others’ lives are in danger, call Campus Safety at (707) 580-6526 or 911 for local police and emergency services.

Everyone is asked to assist in making the campus a safe place by being alert to suspicious situations and by reporting them as outlined below. Do not take unnecessary chances.

If you are the victim of, or if you witness an on-campus violation of the law, such as assault, robbery, theft, overt sexual behavior, etc.:

• Notify the Department of Public Safety (DPS) at (707) 580-6526 or call 9-1-1 and supply them with the following information:
  • Your name
  • Nature of incident
  • Location of incident
  • Description of person(s) involved / description of property involved
• If you witness a violation of the law, immediately notify DPS, and give them the information outlined above.
• Assist DPS Officers when they arrive by supplying them with any additional information.
• The local law enforcement agency will conduct the required campus search and will evacuate areas as necessary. Follow their instructions. Everyone is asked to report to their departmental office the existence of anyone loitering or soliciting on campus. These people may be asked to leave if they do not have permission or a proper reason for being on campus. Call DPS at (707) 580-6526 if they refuse to leave when asked. · Report disruptive conduct to DPS at (707) 580-6526.

State law and college policy prohibit the possession or use of weapons on any Solano Community College property. It is a felony to possess any firearm on college property, punishable by up to four years in prison. (See California Penal code 626.9.) Possessing a concealed weapon or automatic weapons of any kind is illegal, whether on campus or in the community.

State law and college policy prohibits the possession or use of weapons such as knives with blades longer than 2.5 inches, switchblades, dirks, daggers, stun guns, BB-guns, air guns, metal knuckles, nunchaku, etc. on any Solano Community College property. (See California Penal Code 626.10.)

College Safety is a shared responsibility. Remember, if you see something, say something, so we can do something. If you see a gun or other weapon on College property, especially if you believe the weapon is being or about to be used, contact Department of Public Safety immediately at (707) 580-5626 or call 9-1-1.

Remember to use the 5W’s: WHO did you see, WHAT did you see, WHEN did you see it, WHERE did you see it, and WHY is it suspicious.