Teachers and staff at Klamath Community College were tested Monday on what to do if shots are fired on campus.
KCC’s Patricia Springer says there’s not much time to react when shots are fired…
“You have about a split second to decide if you’re going to run, hide, or fight.”
Springer didn’t know if additional shooters were outside during Monday’s exercise…
“We went into an office, we closed the door, barricaded it – I made a mock call to campus safety.”
Media access at the training was heavily restricted.
“We don’t want to film tactics.” Explains Chief Deputy Martin Rowley of the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office. “People who are of a mind to do something like this can see it, and then defeat tactics.”
While there’s never been an active shooter on the KCC campus, Springer notes that there have been scares…
“With the recent shooting of the officer, we actually went on lock down. We’ve never done that before.”
KCC staff knew the training would be taking place, but they didn’t know exactly when – or where.
Chief Deputy Rowley gives the school a ‘passing’ grade…
“For the first time to run those people through an event like this, I think their response was very, very good.”
Springer hopes she never has to put her training to use…
“But if you don’t take it seriously, and you just think it’s a joke, you might run into this problem in the future – and it’s going to be real.”
KCC staff have had ongoing campus emergency and safety training for the past several years.
The campus will open for fall term on the 29th.
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