Students and staff had the opportunity at the end of March to be instructed on how to survive an active threat by LSU’s National Center for Biomedical Research and Training/Academy of Counter Terrorist Education: LSU NCBRT/ACE for short, or in conversation simply “NCBRT.”

The organization with the long name holds noble aspirations: “To influence, develop, and deliver specialized training and education,” reads its mission, “providing the skills necessary to prepare for, respond to, and recover from complex threats and high-consequence events.” 

That mission arises from a long list of tragic school shootings: Columbine, Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech, Uvalde. There have been over 4,000 mass shootings in the U.S. since 2014, according to the Gun Violence Archive. And this year, the nonprofit has already tallied 131.

So, on Tuesday, March 28, and Wednesday, March 29, the NCBRT set up shop in LSU’s Student Union to deliver four sessions (two each day) of its course, called “Surviving an Active Threat: Run. Hide. Fight.” Here, participants learned the finer points of the three steps outlined in the title.

“It’s all about preparedness,” said NCBRT lecturer Jeff Holcomb during the final session on Wednesday, “It’s very unlikely that you’ll be involved in an active threat, but it could happen.” 

The chances are low but never zero.

Plus, “the body can’t go where the mind’s never been,” Holcomb added. So, in the interest of survival, these are the basics of run, hide, fight:

First, you have to recognize that a threat is present. When confronted with a shocking situation, we typically enter a state of denial. In the same way that you might convince yourself that those shots in the night came from a firework rather than a firearm, so too are we often slow to recognize when our lives are in danger, Holcomb said. 

And denial itself is dangerous because it delays response times. “The longer you take, the less options you have,” LSUPD Chief Bart Thompson said.

During an active threat, you want to move past denial as quickly as possible and onto the next stage: deliberation.

At this point, you’ve come to grips with the fact that there’s someone armed and dangerous in your vicinity. Now you have to decide whether to run, hide or fight. But what to do?

“Fighting is the last resort,” Holcomb said. “But you may still have to do it.” If that’s the case, then arm yourself. Use anything at your disposal: a pencil, scissors, chair, fire extinguisher—and if there are other people with you, fight as a group. 

But if you don’t absolutely have to fight, then decide between running and hiding. Here are some of the considerations that should go through your head when you choose:

Do you know how far away the shooter is? Can you safely put distance between where they are and where you are? If so, run. Preferably in zigzags and taking cover when you can, just in case the threat appears unexpectedly. 

“We do these trainings all over,” Holcomb said. “Once we were in St. Croix, and they have a lot of chickens down there. We were walking down the street, and we saw a rooster chasing a hen. The hen was zigzagging all over the place.”

If you’re going to run during an active threat, “be the chicken,” Holcomb said. “It’s much more difficult for someone to take aim that way.”

Otherwise, hide. 

“And hide with intention,” he added.

Survey the room you’re in and check the exits. Are the doors open? Close them. Do they lock? Lock them. If not, barricade the entryway with desks, chairs, anything at your disposal. Also, does the door have a window? Cover it. Then turn the lights off and make as little noise as possible. When safe to do so, call 911. Quietly. 

And if someone comes to the door, don’t open it. Even if you know them, even if you feel bad, leave the door shut, Holcomb said.

Afterwards, “continuously evaluate your options,” said Holcomb. 

In an emergency situation, conditions are constantly changing, which means your plan of action may need to change, too. 

At the end of the session, Holcomb reiterated the importance of being prepared. “My suggestion to everyone is get some kind of training,” he said, noting an absence of undergraduate students at the four sessions. “And what I tell undergrads who take this course is that it’s not just to survive your four years in school. This can happen anywhere—the grocery store this afternoon, at church next Sunday.”