Evacuate – Evade – Engage
Evade-Evacuate-Engage steps Heading link
How to respond when an active threat is in your vicinity
Quickly determine the most reasonable way to protect your own life. Remember that contractors, clients and students are likely to follow the lead of employees and managers during an active shooter situation.
If there is an accessible escape path, attempt to evacuate the premises. Be sure to:
- Have an escape route and plan in mind
- Evacuate regardless of whether others agree to follow
- Leave your belongings behind
- Help others escape, if possible
- Prevent individuals from entering an area where the active threat may be
- Keep your hands visible
- Follow the instructions of any police officers
- Do not attempt to move wounded people
- Call 911 when you are safe
If evacuation is not possible, find a place to hide where the active shooter is less likely to find you;
- By hiding in an area out of the shooter’s view
- By entering an adjacent office
- By staying at your current location and taking cover (i.e., crawling under a cubicle and placing the chair in front of you)
- By hiding in a closet
- Lock the doors and blockade the door with heavy furniture to prevent entry to your hiding place
- Silence your cell phone
- Turn off all the lights and any source of noise (i.e., radios, televisions)
As a last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger, attempt to disrupt and/or incapacitate the active shooter by;
- Acting as aggressively as possible against him/her
- Throwing items and improvising weapons
- Yelling
- Committing to your actions
How to respond when law enforcement arrives
Remain calm and follow instructions
- Put down any items in your hands (i.e., bags, jackets)
- Raise your hands and spread your fingers
- Keep hands visible at all times
- Avoid quick movements toward officers such as holding on to them for safety
- Avoid pointing, screaming or yelling
- Do not stop to ask officers for help or directions when evacuating
Information you should provide to law enforcement or 911 operators
- Location of active shooter
- Number of shooters
- Physical description of shooter(s)
- Number and type of weapons held by the shooter(s)
- Number of potential victims at the location
Interested in hosting an Active Threat Response Training?
- Contact the UICPD Training Unit.