Violent occurrences on campuses of colleges and universities are unfortunately on the rise. To date, there have been an estimated 129 school shootings in the United States since 2010. With this number of active shooter incidents, many people are thinking of ways to avoid such tragedies in the future. A computer panic button for colleges and universities helps cut down on the response time. A computer panic button can also instantly contacts authorities when seconds matter the most.

Why Use a Computer Panic Button for Colleges and Universities?

An obvious reason that a computer panic button for colleges and universities can be helpful would be in the case of an active shooter. Many people are on edge about the recent college shootings. Without proper training of employees, they would not know how to react in the face of an emergency.

In the instance of an active shooter, for example, it would be essential to get the word out as quickly as possible. With the CRS Notify panic button, all computers in a network, whether it’s over several buildings or just one, would see that a high alert has been raised. Not only would each computer see the alert, but the notifications can be set to send through text, phone calls, and e-mails as well. A high alert can reach the faculty and staff instantly so that they can react to the situation more effectively. Emergency services can also be instantly alerted to an impending crisis the moment a high alert is raised. Furthermore, a panic button for colleges and universities can directly connect to 911 via E911 integration, which cuts response time to mere seconds.

2010 College Shooting in Alabama

One college shooting happened in Huntsville, Alabama, on February 10, 2010. During a staff meeting, one of the professors stood up and shot six people in the room. The shooting was stopped when the handgun jammed and the assailant was pushed out the door. Those left in the meeting room barricaded the door. There was a total of three fatalities. The assailant has since been sentenced to life in prison.

Many of the assailant’s students and colleagues reported unsettling behavior prior to the attack. The firearm used in the attack as well as others found at the assailant’s home had been acquired legally.

2015 Community College Shooting in Oregon

A recent attack that many people think of a mass shooting is the Community College Shooting that took place on October 1, 2015, in Roseburg, Oregon. The gunman was a student at the community college. He entered a classroom and shot most of the students inside. All total, there were 10 fatalities, including that of the gunman.

The perpetrator of the community college shooting had been described by several people as being a loner. The six firearms found on the scene in addition to the eight in the gunman’s home were purchased legally either by the gunman himself or members of his family.

Why Not Arm Everyone on Campus?

According to a study conducted by Johns Hopkins University, allowing civilians to bring firearms on college campuses is not likely to curb Mass Shootings on campus. Additionally, having additional firearms on campus is likely to lead to more mass shootings, suicides, and homicides on campus. Moreover, even though firearm carrying by civilians is becoming increasingly common, the researchers found that the additional firearms on campus likely will increase the lethality of suicide attempts and assaults on college campuses. Both suicide attempts and assaults are much more common on college campuses than mass shootings.

Furthermore, there have been a number of accidents involving firearms on college campuses. These accidents almost certainly would not have happened if the campus didn’t allow concealed carry.

Finally, there has been no proof that making college campuses gun-free zones make them any more susceptible to mass shootings. One of the co-authors of the Johns Hopkins study examined 111 high-fatality mass shootings that took place in the United States since 1966. (A mass shooting for these purposes is defined as an event where six or more people are killed). Only 13 of the 111 shootings examined occurred in a truly gun-free zone.

Additionally, an FBI report that studied 160 shooting incidents between 2000 and 2013 showed that only one incident was stopped by an armed citizen. The armed citizen just so happened to be a Marine. Had there been a computer panic button for colleges and universities utilized in these situations, many lives might have been saved.

Report Red Flags

One thing that the above-mentioned tragedies and many others have in common is the fact that the assailants were reported repeatedly for unsettling behavior. This is not to say that every gunman and assailant displays the same behaviors – in fact, quite the opposite. In reality, there is no one profile that fits every assailant at every shooting ever committed. According to the Safe School Initiative (which covers middle schools and high schools), there is no one characteristic that causes a potential assailant to “snap.”

With this being said, if a troubling behavior is observed, it is always better to report it. If this kind of behavior is caught early, a person could possibly get help from mental health professionals. This simple action could potentially save lives down the road.

Incident Response Plan

An incident response plan is absolutely essential for colleges and universities. In addition to computer notifications, the CRS Notify program can alert the entire staff immediately if an alert is raised. Because of our mass notification platform responders and staff are notified instantly preventing unnecessary people at the scene of an unfolding emergency

Most college and university classrooms do not have the ideal setup for an assault or mass shooting situation. Many classrooms only have one door, meaning there is only one way in and one way out. It is always a good idea to find out where the emergency exits are located throughout the campus.

The most recent instances of mass shootings have shown that hiding in place is not necessarily the safest protocol. Many safety and security experts advise people to run-hide-fight.

• Run – Running from the situation is the first thing that people should do, only if it is safe to do so.
• Hide – Hiding from the gunman is the next thing people should do, but only if it is safe to do so. Hiding in this instance also means barricading people into a safe place. When hiding, it is important to remember to lock doors, turn off lights, and silence all electronics.
• Fight – Fighting the assailant should only be done as a last resort, only if running and hiding cannot be done safely. An assailant enters the situation wanting a sense of control. People fighting back takes away that control. Plus, it is generally the last thing a gunman expects. This tactic could potentially save lives if done in a safe manner.

Conclusion

In short, computer panic buttons for colleges and universities are most definitely a good supplement to any incident response plan. With the CRS Notify panic button, every computer in a network would know instantly if an alert is raised. Additionally, alerts can be sent out via phone calls, texts, and e-mails. Emergency personnel is also notified the moment a high alert is raised. In short, everyone in a campus setting can rest easy knowing that response time is greatly reduced when seconds matter most.

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