There was a loud bang at the rear of the Campus Center conference rooms, and as bystanders looked back, they were surprised to see an armed man bearing down on them.
He was UC-Davis Police Sgt. Paul Henoch, playing his part in an active shooter survival workshop for staff and faculty at De Anza College May 31 and June 1.
The workshops were presented by volunteers Michael Valenzuela, student affairs officer, and Mary Macias, safety officer. Henoch assisted in demonstrations during the workshop.
Designed to provide viable strategies and create a survivalist mentality during an active shooter situation, the optional workshops made active shooter preparation a topic of conversation.
The first piece of advice offered by Valenzuela: “To the best of your ability, remain calm.” He suggested taking deep breaths and distracting yourself with swaying or rhythmic movements, like tapping your knee.
Three key points were stressed over and over: have a plan, do something and survive.
Macias emphasized the importance of making plans to take action in the case of an active shooter in your everyday environment. She said to look for “active incident safe places,” or areas with multiple exits that can be locked and barricaded.
The speakers said it is important to have a winning attitude during an active shooter situation. They emphasized the 5 o’clock concept, a work-place willingness because at the end of the day, you have to be willing to do what it takes to go home.
Valenzuela and Macias said that doing anything is better than doing nothing.
Macias, who created a model lockdown plan for her building at UC-Davis, said scattering is a good strategy. “You go until you can’t go any more,” she said.
Valenzuela said that since active shooters look for a high target environment, Valenzuela said that general emergency procedures are ineffective. Having meeting places would just give the shooter more opportunities to kill.
Other strategies suggested were turning your body away from the shooter and running in an S-pattern because smaller, moving targets are harder to hit.
In a situation where running isn’t an option, finding hard cover and making yourself invisible are the next priorities.
“Most shooters don’t expect to get out alive,” said Henoch. Of over 200 incidents sampled in “Active Shooter,” a New York Police Department publication, 40 percent of cases ended in the shooter’s suicide.
Chief Ron Levine of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District Police Department said FHDA officers have all been through active shooter training and regularly practice their skills. He mentioned the availability of an emergency notification system, available through MyPortal.
“Students should understand that the college district is committed to their safety in all situations,” said Levine. “By offering the ‘active shooter’ training to faculty and staff, we hope to prepare them for any and all possibilities that may arise on campus.”
STAFF VS STAFF – Staff and faculty familiarize themselves with non-firing weapons and practice take-away drills, reenacting take downs and fighting. (ED CHUCK | La Voz Weekly)
GET DOWN – UC Davis Police Sgt. Paul Henoch tests audience reaction in a typical firing stance in an active shooter simulation (ED CHUCK | La Voz Weekly)
