UB Police offer training in ‘Run, Hide, Fight’

In an age where mass shootings are the sobering reality, University Police are helping the campus community remain vigilant.

At the beginning of each semester, UPD offers training to students, faculty and staff on what to know and do in the event of an active shooter.

“It’s unfortunate,” says UB Police Chief Kim Beaty, “but this has become part of daily life for everyone because these incidents are happening everywhere.”

UBNow sat down with Beaty and deputy chiefs Scott Marciszewski and Gregory Sauers to talk about active-shooter awareness, prevention and “Run, Hide, Fight,” the training model that has become the national standard for law enforcement agencies.

Here’s what UB police want you to know:

Sign up for UB Alert. UB police would use the UB Alert system to notify the campus about an active shooter, or any other serious incident. The alert would explain what’s happening where on campus and what the community needs to know to stay safe.

All UB students and employees would receive an email alert. Students also would receive text alerts, which are critical in real-time emergencies, as would employees who signed up to receive texts through the UB Alert system. Sign up, if you haven’t already.

Be prepared. Consider what to do in the event of an active shooter. Formulate an escape route, decide where to hide or determine how to barricade the door. Make sure your list of contacts includes the phone number for UB police — 716-645-2222.

Prevention is key. Don’t hesitate to report concerning or suspicious behavior on campus.

“Safety in our community is everyone’s responsibility,” Beaty says. “If you see or hear something, say something. Report it.”

“That’s probably the biggest thing,” Sauers says. “If we have that intelligence or knowledge ahead of time, we can try to prevent something from happening.”

“And people can call anonymously,” Marciszewski adds. “We don't pressure anyone to give a name.”

Know when to:   

• Run. In the event of an active shooter, the best option is to evacuate the area immediately, if it is safe to do so. Leave your belongings.

“Sometimes you might have people around you that freeze,” Beaty says. “You should encourage them to come with you immediately to get to a safe place.”

“Get as far away as possible from the location of the threat,” Marciszewski says. “I always tell people to keep running until you don’t see the place anymore.”

Once in a safe location, you can call University Police and provide as much information as possible.

• Hide. If it is not safe to evacuate, find a secure place to hide. Lock or barricade doors, turn off the lights, silence phones and remain quiet. Stay out of sight and consider what to do if the situation changes.
• Fight. If there are no other options and you are in immediate danger, be prepared to fight. Use available objects to defend yourself and work with others around you — there’s strength in numbers.

“Commit to your actions,” Beaty says. “Your goal is to disrupt or stop the attacker long enough to escape or until law enforcement arrives.”

University police will arrive to the scene within minutes, Beaty says, with the primary goal of locating and neutralizing the threat.

More on Run, Hide, Fight can be found here and here.

Sign up for training. The UPD training, which lasts about an hour, will reinforce these principles and procedures. Sessions are offered to individuals as well as campus units and departments. To register, email a request to University Police at ub-police@buffalo.edu.

If you have further questions, contact Lt. Timothy Bacon at tabacon@buffalo.edu.