Situational Awareness and Prevailing Mentality

Situational Awareness and Prevailing MentalityNationwide StrengthNational client-base covering 27 statesCloud-based all-hazards preparedness solutionNations largest educational preparedness initiativeLeading situational awareness systemThrough proven strategies, innovative thinking, and the latest technologies, SafePlans is able to provide the very best practices in risk management anuwhere in the countrySafePlans corporate mission is straightforward:Protect people and placesWE PROTECT PEOPLE & PLACESSituational AwarenessSafePlans SchoolSafetyNews.com is the Nations largest educational security database and blog.Collaborate with Law EnforcementPlanners should engage law enforcement during the planning process, not when a crisis is imminent.First and last resource in a dangerous intruder environmentIntroductionThe chart below was developed by Alexander Volokh and Lisa Snell in 2005 and compares concerns of educators in 1940 to those n 1990.When Would You Want to Know?Parking Lot OR Front Door

Front Door OR Office

Office OR Hallway

Hallway OR ClassroomSituational AwarenessThe Proper State of MindSituational Awareness is the ability to identify, process, and comprehend the critical elements of information about what is happening around you.When Would Know?Parking Lot OR Front Door

Front Door OR Office

Office OR Hallway

Hallway OR Classroom

Attack CategoriesFor the purposes of this training, attacks may be placed into the following categories:

Insider Attacks are carried out by persons closely affiliated with the school; such as students.Prevention: Threat assessment & situational awarenessMitigation: Intruder ResponseOutsider Attacks are carried out by persons not closely affiliated with the school; where the school was viewed as a soft target.* Prevention: Physical security & situational awareness* Mitigation: Intruder ResponseSituational AwarenessThe Proper State of MindSituational Awareness is the ability to identify, process, and comprehend the critical elements of information about what is happening around you.

An important element of this mindset is first coming to the realization that a threat exists. Ignorance or denial of a threat make a persons chances of quickly recognizing the threat and avoiding it slim to none.

Sandy HookHighest Fatality Rate in Mass Killing26 killed, 2 woundedNewtown CTDec. 14,2012

After killing his mother, Adam Lanza arrived at Sandy Hook Elementary around 9:30 a.m. He fired shots into the locked front door and gained entry. Lanzas attack lasted nearly 11 minutes and 20 children and 6 adults were murdered. Heroic actions by school staff undoubtedly saved lives.

Outsider attackJeff Coopers Color CodesWhiteUnprepared and unready totake action. If you are attacked in White you will probably die unless your adversary is totally ineptYellowPrepared, alert and relaxed. Good situational Awareness.OrangeSpecific alert to probably danger.Ready to take action.RedFight Mode. Totally committed to the emergency at hand.BlackSystem Overload. Total breakdown of physical & mental performanceVA TechShooter Delays Rapid Deployment of Police33 killed, 27 woundedBlacksburg, VAApril 16, 2007

Seung-Hui Cho exhibits numerous warning signs that go ignored. After killing two students around 7:15 a.m. in the dorm, Cho entered Norris Hall two hours later and chained the doors shut. Despite rapid SWAT and patrol response, Cho was able to kill 30 more people and fire over 170 rounds.Pre-Attack IndicatorsPAINNo ProfileCore Common Factor in Mass Killings: Majority Expect to Die During Attack (3 Wishes)* Pre-Attack Indicators (PAIN) Exist in the Physical Appearance and Behavior of the Attackers.Physical PAINSOversized Clothes/Loose Fitting Clothes Clothes Not Appropriate for WeatherKeeping Hands in PocketsConcealing HandsSmall Bulges Near Waste or HipOversized Torso/Bulky Jacket or VestReposition Weapon (Confirmation Touch)Favoring One Side (Strong Side)Adjusting Wasteband or ClothingUndo Attention to Carried ObjectsBlading/Turning Body To Protect WeaponBehavioral PAINSMinimizing Door to Door Distance from Vehicle (Parking in Fire LanesLow Familiarity with AreaNervousnessMental DiscomfortTunnel Vision/1,000 Yard StareRepeated Comments and/or PrayerMutteringDifficulty Making DecisionsTrouble CommunicatingRepeated Entries/Exits to AreaSecondary AttacksSecondary Device Definition: An explosive device that is place in an area of evacuation or staging to inflict greater casualties and/or disrupt emergency response.

Diversionary Attack Definition: An attack wherein a force uses a means of deception with the purpose of drawing the target into an area more conductive to attack.ColumbineMultiple School ShootersSummary15 killed, 23 woundedLittleton, COApril 20, 1999

Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold exhibited numerous warning signs that were ignored. After several explosive devices failed, they entered the school at 11:19 a.m. and began shooting. The shooting continued until they killed themselves at 12:08 p.m. Police did not enter the library until 3:22 p.m.NorwayLargest Loss of Life in Mass Killing Attack77 killed, 209 woundedOsio, NorwayJuly 22, 2011

In two sequential attacks, Anders Breivik first used a car bomb in a government quarter of Osio. Less than two hours later, disguised as a police officer, he gained access to a remote Island hosting a government youth event where he murdered 69 people.Prevention-MitigationPrevention is the action schools take to decrease the likelihood that an event or crisis will occur.Mitigation is the action schools take to eliminate or reduce the loss of life and property damage related to an event or crisis, particularly those that cannot be prevented.Two Main Prevention-Mitigation strategies to stop violent intruders:Improved physical securityThreat assessment programsSchools should not be soft targets of opportunityWhen Prevention FailsHave a PlanTo address the complexities of violent intruder incidents and the deficiencies of the basic lockdown concept, SafePlans uses three-option system.RUNRUN. Implement a running evacuation if:You have direct contact with the shooter. And/orYou cannot lock the shooter out of your location.

This video footage from the attack at Columbine High School shows students implementing an impromptu running evacuation of the cafeteria. While disturbing, this action undoubtedly saved lives.HideHIDE hide if:You have indirect contact with the shooter. And/orYou can likely keep the shooter out of your location until law enforcement arrivesRemember:Lock the door if you canDo not use your body tosupport the barricadeSilence cell phonesWhile a locked door is good.There are other ways to HIDEEffectively such as barricades and tying off doorsTying off doorsTying off doors limits the attackers ability to open doors, even if they are unlocked. Tying off doors is used to reinforce doors that open out (toward the hallway) where barricades have limited value.Jamming Door HandlesFor handicap accessible handles (levers pushed downward to open), wedge a chair or small table between the handle and the door, preventing the handle from unlatching the door.Doors that open into the hallwayFIGHTThe FIGHT option is to be used as a last resort.Violent intruders are very and the HIDE and RUN options greatly improve upon the basic lockdown. However when it is not possible to RUN and HIDE, you must FIGHT back against the attacker.

When fighting back it is possible that people will be injured or even killed.

However, if you do nothing, it is a certainty that more people will be injured or killedLast ResortLast Resort - FIGHTWhen you must FIGHT:Commit to fighting backLead others to helpProvide clear and confident instructionsUse improvised weapons, such as fire extinguisher, chairs, and booksAct with aggression until the threat is incapacitatedIf you have direct contact with the attacker and the attacker is blocking your path, then there is no way you can RUN or HIDE. You must then FIGHT back and neutralize the attacker.FIGHTPrevailing MentalityMental Preparedness32-year-old Bruco Strong Eagle EastwoodArrived at the middle school just as students were leaving for the day and opened fire with a high powered hunting rifle. Two students were wounded before Math teacher, Dr. David Benke, tackled the gunman, helping to subdue him until police arrivedI had always told my students since Columbine that if anything happened in school, I would hope that I would be able to do something.Dr. David Benke,Math TeacherDeer Creek Middle SchoolFeb. 23,2010Littleton, CO2 woundedUnderstanding the mental process of CombatUniversal Human PhobiaFear +175+ HBPMIrrational thinking/decision makingFreezing VS. slow motion timeVasoconstrictionAuditory exclusionSubmissive behaviorPoor communication/speechPerseverationExtreme survival stressYour Mind and CombatAbove approximately 175HPBM there is a breakdown of cognitive processing.

The Forebrain begins to shut down and the Midbrain takes over.Decision Making in an EmergencyDuring an emergency you could be required to make life-or-death decisions.Air Force Colonel John Boyd developed a model to help explain this type of decision making process.The system is called the OODA Loop. OODA is an acronym that stands for Observe, Orient, Decide and ActOODA LoopAccording to Boyds theory, emergency response can be seen as a series of time-competitive, Observe-Orient-Decide-Act (OODA) cycles

The loop occurs when collective actions have changed the situation.The cycle continues throughout an incidentObserveFirst you become aware of a potentially dangerous situation.OrientOrient yourself to the situation so you can best determine you response option.DecideDecide the best possible response, based on what you know at the time.ActCarry out the action plan to the best of your abilities, based on what you know at the time.The Loop RepeatsRemember, the OODA Loop process can occur several times during an emergency.Applying OODA to RUN/HIDE/FIGHTObserveSituational AwarenessPre-attack BehaviorOrientContact + Location = ResponseApplying OODA to RUN/HIDE/FIGHTLevel of Contact?Direct vs. IndirectPath of EscapeYes or No?Ability to SecureYes or No?Applying OODA to RUN/HIDE/FIGHTIn a moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing.The worst thing you can do is nothing.President Theodore RooseveltVasoconstrictionVasoconstriction is the narrowing of the blood vessels resulting from contraction of the muscular wall of the vessels.

Probably a survival mechanism but can greatly reduce fine motor skills.Submissive BehaviorGet in a line, I am going to kill you all.Oikos University Shooting7 killed, 3 woundedOakland, CAApril 2, 2012Passive Targets, Easy VictimsWhen law enforcement officers counter a shooting incident, the hit ratio is only 12 to 18 percent.

Shooters hit ratios are dramatically higher, with some as high as 80 percentThe difference is not attributed to shooting skill, but rather the passive response.Available targets are predictable and stationary.Direction and Control Very little innovative thinking occurs under combat conditions, we must plan and train for the next fight before were in it.Dave Grossman

Whatever you are drilled to do you will perform under stress.

Perseveration: The repetition of a particular response.TrainingAllows us to overcome extreme survival stressStress inoculationFirefighter and a FirehouseTwo-way-streetProvide the training & participateTactical BreathingTechnical term is called autogenic breathing, but in the combat community its referred to as combat breathing or tactical breathing.

Technique to control fear and stress by limiting the role of the bodys Sympathetic Nervous System.

Sympathetic Nervous System controls out Fight or Flight response and is part of the Autonomic Nervous SystemTactical BreathingBreathing and blinking are only two actions of you autonomic nervous systems that we can bring under conscious control anytime we choose.

Proper breathing can control sympathetic nervous system response (control fear and anger).

Process that allow you to gain conscious control pver your Fight or Flight response.4 Count Tactical BreathingMind SetPeople rarely rise to the occasion.They fall back to their lowest level of training.