University at Buffalo - The State University of New York

What would you do if there were an active shooter on campus?

That unsettling question was posed by Officer Scott Marciszewski of University Police during a safety training session yesterday on the South Campus hosted by the Parker Hall Safety Committee. Participants, including staff members from Nuclear Medicine, Biomaterials and Radiation Safety, said they were concerned about campus shootings, yet only several had thought about a plan of action in a worst-case scenario.

“Nobody wants to find themselves in that situation, but if it happens, then you’ve got to do everything you can to survive,” said Marciszewski, whose one-hour training session includes a 20-minute instructional DVD, a short presentation and a question-and-answer session.

“The premise in the video is ‘get out, lock out or take out,’” he said, noting that the best plan in a campus shooting is to get as far from the danger zone as possible—be it a classroom, building or campus. If this isn’t an option, he said, barricade the area. Only as a last resort should someone attempt to take out an active shooter—and then only as a group by overwhelming an attacker or using common objects as a weapon or defense.

“If you’re quick to react—and well-prepared to react—you will survive an active shooter,” he added.

Although it’s extremely rare to encounter a gunman on campus, Marciszewski said University Police has been offering free safety training on the topic since June—due partly to growing concern among members of the university community, especially staff and parents of students, in the wake of the shooting tragedies at Virginia Tech in 2007 and Northern Illinois University last February.

In addition to offering safety training, Marciszewski said UB has taken other steps to ensure the safety of the university community should there be an attack on campus, including a text-message alert system for cell phones and email. (click here to sign up.) Emergency information also is available through the 24-hour 645-NEWS recorded telephone line, on the University Police Web site and via radio stations such as WBFO-FM 88.7. New safety equipment, including improved lights and security cameras, currently is being installed on the South Campus.

“The likelihood of being struck by lightning—twice—is greater than your chances of being murdered on a college campus,” said Gerald Schoenle, chief of university police. “However, in light of violent crimes that have occurred the past couple of years, we feel it is our duty to educate the campus community on actions they could take in the unlikely event an active shooter, or similar crime, should occur on campus.”

To schedule a safety training session for your office, department or other on-campus group, contact University Police at 645-2229.

—Kevin Fryling