Threats & Suspicious Activity

Active Shooter

How to Respond to an Active Shooter 

In the event of an active shooter, guidance from Homeland Security consists of three principles —  Run, Hide, Fight. Please review the following information so that you are prepared to quickly determine how to respond to an active shooter.

1. Run 

Evacuate the area if possible. Become familiar with exits in advance and be sure to:

• Leave your belongings behind.
• Help others escape if possible.
• Evacuate whether or not others agree to follow.
• Generally, do not attempt to move wounded people.
• Go to a safe place, call 911 and wait for first responders to arrive.

2. Hide 

If evacuation is not possible, find a place to hide. Seek a location that: 

• Is out of the shooter’s view (move away from windows and close blinds).
• Provides protection if shots are fired in your direction.
• Does not trap you or restrict your options for movement.

Take action to prevent an active shooter from entering your hiding place:

• Secure the door (if possible) and blockade the door with heavy furniture.
• Turn off lights, close blinds and stay away from windows.
• Remain quiet and silence your cell phone.
• Watch for emergency text updates.
• If hiding with others, develop an action plan to use in the event a shooter enters, and spread out if possible.

3. Fight 

As a last resort, and only if your life is in imminent danger, fight back against the active shooter by: 

• Acting as aggressively as possible.
• Throwing items.
• Using improvised weapons (fire extinguishers, chairs, large objects, sharp objects).
• When law enforcement arrives
• Keep your hands visible (put objects down and raise hands).
• Don’t run toward or grab officers, or make sudden movements.
• Don’t scream.
• Follow the officers’ directions.

Training

Public Safety offers ALICE training upon request at no charge to students or employees. ALICE is active shooter response training for civilians delivered with a trauma-informed approach in an age- and ability-appropriate way.

Learn about and request ALICE training

For more information, you can watch the Active Shooter Preparedness video and review the Homeland Security active shooter response handbook at any time.

Suspicious Packages

If you get a package that meets the following characteristics, do not touch, move or open it. Treat it as suspect, isolate the area and notify the Bucknell Department of Public Safety by calling 570-577-1111 (x71111).

Characteristics of a suspicious letter or package:

• Excessive postage, no postage, or non-canceled postage; no return address or obviously fictitious return address
• Packages that are addressed to someone no longer with your organization or otherwise outdated
• Packages that are unexpected or from someone unfamiliar to you
• Excessive tape 
• Improper spelling of addressee names, titles, or locations 
• Packages that are rigid, bulky, lopsided, or uneven
• Unexpected envelopes from foreign countries
• Restrictive markings

Threatening Phone Calls

If you receive a threatening call (bomb threat, physical harm, etc.), do not hang up. Have someone else call Public Safety 570-577-1111 (x71111). Attempt to engage the caller in a conversation and obtain as much information as possible. Caller ID is also available on most phones. Take notes. Don't put the caller on hold.

Try to get details about the caller:

• Male or female?
• Young or old?
• How do they sound? Calm? Angry? Any accent?
• What sounds are in the background?
• Record the caller's exact words, if possible.

If it is a bomb threat ask these questions:

• What is the threat?
• When is the bomb going to explode?
• What does it look like? What kind is it?
• What will cause it to explode?
• Where is the bomb?
• Who placed the bomb?
• Why was the bomb placed?

The decision to evacuate will be made by Public Safety, based on an assessment of the information and circumstances surrounding the threat. Once the decision to evacuate has been made and specific instructions for evacuation are issued, try to remain calm, avoid panic and walk to the nearest exit.

• Make sure others are evacuating (University Police, building coordinators, campus staff may assist in the evacuation).
• Evacuate 300 feet from the area containing the bomb. 
  • If you see something that appears to be an explosive, or if a bomb is found, DO NOT move, jar or touch the object or anything attached to it. Leave it for specially trained police officers to remove. Tell police immediately if you find something that looks suspicious.
• Do not use electronic devices capable of transmitting over high frequencies like cell phones, two way radios, etc