Building a Culture of Safety

Transcription

1 ANDREWS INTERNATIONAL Building a Culture of Safety An Educational Tool: How to participate in your own safety on campus

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3 ANDREWS INTERNATIONAL TABLE OF CONTENTS Snap Out of It! Gain Control of Your Environment... 1 Educate Yourself on Hostile Behaviors: Primal vs. Cognitive Learn How Aggression Escalates... 3 Minimize Potential Danger Take Action in an Emergency: Student Response... First Responders Continue Your Education Learn More and Get Involved... Build a Culture of Safety Administrators, Faculty, Staff and Public Safety Departments Contact Information... Back Cover

4 ANDREWS INTERNATIONAL Snap Out of it! Gain Control of Your Environment Take Yourself Off of Automatic How many times have we all been told that a critical component of our safety is awareness? The reason is because, it s true. Being alert and present in any given situation is essential when it comes to protecting ourselves. In fact, many would argue that it is half the battle in any threatening situation. Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness. - James Thurber Unfortunately, despite the fact that we know this, we are so caught up in day-to-day distractions that more often than not, we fail to maintain a critical level of awareness. Practice Your Common Senses Contribute to a Culture of Safety Vigilance Use awareness to protect your personal boundaries. Create prevention through vigilance. Avoidance Know how to identify a high-risk situation or environment and avoid it. Escape Know when and how to get away from a threatening situation. 1 BUILDING A CULTURE OF SAFETY

5 Prepare for the Exam of Your Life Equip Yourself for Threatening Situations When on Campus 1. Know how to distinguish between a Primal and Cognitive Aggressor. 2. Know how to notify campus security and get results. 3. Know the layout of your campus. 4. Know who your school s safety officials are. 5. Know what buildings have 24/7 security. 6. Know what your school s emergency notification system is. 7. Know where the exits are at all times when you are indoors. 8. Know your role in your school s emergency plans and response procedures. 9. Know how you can reach a school counselor. 10. Know what transportation services are available to you. This information is intended to serve as a preliminary step towards enabling you to take an active role in your safety. 2

6 ANDREWS INTERNATIONAL Educate Yourself on Hostile Behaviors Learn How Aggression Escalates Cognitive Aggressors: (Intent-driven aggression) They make conscious, deliberate attacks. They are fueled by intent, be it hostile or malicious. They are individuals who are victimizers, predators, criminals and terrorists. Unlike Primal Aggressors, Cognitive Aggressors, past the Crisis Phase, often go unnoticed because they have reached a state of cold, detached, emotionless steeliness. They have no traditionally red-faced, ready-to-explode body language or facial expressions that would indicate any inclination towards violence. Oftentimes, Cognitive Aggressors disengage and follow their own course of action. Primal Aggressors: (Adrenaline-driven aggression) They act instinctively and are fueled by adrenaline. They respond in a classic fight or flight manner. They lose control and attack. Primal Aggressors are generally identifiable by their rush of adrenaline illustrated through anger, rage, frustration and/or fear, which are revealed in their body language, facial expression and tone of voice. A Primal Aggressor, past the Crisis Phase, is an individual who has become enraged and due to loss of control, is compelled to act in a violent manner. During the Escalation Phase, Primal and Cognitive Aggression feed off one another. At the Crisis Phase, Primal and Cognitive Aggression divert as shown in the graphic on the next page. This graphic also illustrates that the measures that delineate Primal and Cognitive Aggression permit the observer the opportunity to identifying aggression prior to conflict. Prevent conflict and you can prevent violence. NOTE: The information contained herein is intended to serve as an overview of the typical stages of aggression that each type of aggressor (Primal and Cognitive) may experience. It is important to note however that no two individuals are alike and that not all aggressors (Primal or Cognitive) will necessarily experience each stage precisely as indicated. It is also important to note that the language used herein is proprietary and can be used only with the permission of Dr John Byrnes. 3 BUILDING A CULTURE OF SAFETY

7 Cognitive Aggression Primal Aggression L STAGE 9 Willing to do whatever it takes, including taking their own life to meet their objective: murder/suicide, terrorism. STAGE 8 Plans to attack victim without self-sacrifice: murderer, combatant. STAGE 7 Complicit and in conspiracy with Stage 8 & 9, becomes tactical in nature. STAGE 9 Panics or becomes enraged. Exhibits the body language of an attacker. Fight, flight or freeze phenomena. STAGE 8 Complete loss of judgment. Actions and words usually fail to make sense. STAGE 7 Loses verbal control and words generally do not make sense. CRISIS PHASE (Simplified) (divergence) (Simplified) CRISIS PHASE STAGE 6 Issues an ultimatum. Proclaims the victim as evil. STAGE 5 Deliberately damages the reputation of another by exposing them publicly as an enemy. STAGE 4 Secretly creates distrust of their victim within their community. Sniper behavior. STAGE 3 Abandons communication as a tool. STAGE 2 Chooses a side and fixates on one point of view. Loses trust of others. Cognitive Aggression Primal Aggression STAGE 6 Perceives self as a victim. Demonstrates intimidation and threats. STAGE 5 Belligerent, yelling, sweating, unusual swearing. STAGE 4 The aggressor refuses to comply. Depersonalizes victim. STAGE 3 Hypervigilant, questions authority. STAGE 2 Deterioration of fine motor skills. STAGE 1 Hardens points of view, begins deception, creates distance, lacks empathy. STAGE 1 Scattered and disjointed thinking. ESCALATION PHASE ESCALATION PHASE NORMAL BEHAVIOR BASELINE NORMAL BEHAVIOR BASELINE Left Brain Right Brain Courtesy of the Center for Aggression Management 4

8 ANDREWS INTERNATIONAL Minimize Potential Danger Take Action in an Emergency Student Response: What to do when an assault is imminent or in progress on campus. (Active shooter/deadly behavior) 1. Remain calm. 2. Call security. 3. Call 911. Provide them with the following information: a. Location b.description of what the incident involves c. Identification or a description of the attacker d. Description of injuries, if known 4. Staff should immediately direct students and guests from the area to safe locations such as classrooms or offices. 5. If doors cannot be locked, begin stacking all available items such as furniture or equipment in the doorways to create an obstacle. 6. Turn off all lights and remain quiet. 7. Get down on the floor away from windows. 8. DO NOT answer the door. 9. Wait for uniformed police to arrive and follow their directions. 10. Do not respond to fire alarm bells; it may be a trick to draw people into the open. (Jonesboro, AR) 5 BUILDING A CULTURE OF SAFETY

9 FIRST responders: Each crisis is unique. The incident may fluctuate between active and inactive status. (An active shooter may become a barricaded suspect with or without access to victims). Security personnel responding to the emergency shall immediately: 1. Notify Establish and notify an Emergency Operations Center. 3. Assess the situation. 4. In the case of an active shooter or deadly behavior/assault: a. Announce a complete campus lockdown. Use of a four audible alarm system is recommended; Audible fire alarm (Public access). Evacuation alarm (Security access only). Audible lockdown alarm. All clear. b. In addition to audible alarms, the following should be incorporated: Voice Commands. Bullhorns. Telephone, Cellphone (Text Messaging). Intercom. 5. Assist in the lockdown or evacuation of all students, employees and guests into safe areas. 6. Limit entry to the campus to emergency personnel only, (allowing easy access for emergency responders). 7. Keep open communication lines with dispatch. 8. Assist with the EOC (Emergency Operations Center). Andrews International has experience with the organization and training of armed Contact and Rescue teams in Rapid Deployment and Emergency Response. Contact company representatives with inquiries. 6

10 ANDREWS INTERNATIONAL Continue Your Education Learn More and Get Involved While this tool kit provides an overview of actions you can take to improve your safety through awareness and general knowledge, you can do more to build a culture of safety by becoming more involved and taking steps to see that all potential crisis issues are addressed. Take Action by Getting Answers You can use the following list to determine if your school can do more to prepare for and handle crisis situations and safety in general. 1. Learn how to identify emerging aggression, prior to harmful conflict, when it is the easiest to diffuse. Learn how to distinguish between Primal and Cognitive Aggression to take control and prevent aggression that may occur. 2. Find out if your campus has developed an Aggression Management Team trained to prevent violence on campus. 4. Find out if your school has a crisis management team. Find out how often they meet and if the team consists of any parents or students. 5. Find out if your school has a comprehensive crisis management plan and what your role in that plan is. 6. Find out if your school conducted a safety and preparedness assessment; if they contracted with law enforcement or security professionals to conduct the assessment and when it was conducted. 7. Find out if school psychologists or therapists are available to counsel anyone who may present themselves as having an aggressive disorder 8. Find out if your school provides opportunities to learn more about your own safety both on and off campus. By obtaining this information, you can make a difference in your school by ensuring that all components of safety are addressed and that plans are in place to prevent and/or handle any threatening situations. 3. Find out if your school has a safety committee. Find out how often they meet and if the committee consists of any parents or students. 7 BUILDING A CULTURE OF SAFETY

11 Build a Culture of Safety Administrators, Faculty, Staff and Public Safety Departments Play a role in your childs safety Because educational institutions and their campuses play host to a broad range of faculty, staff, students, notables and the general public, an extremely professional level of security planning, prevention and protection is a necessity. The more staff, faculty, parents and students are aware of what precautionary and preventative measures to take, the better off everyone will be on any campus. Many schools have budgets allocated training, education and additional security. Find out what your school s options are and determine if they have considered the following: 1. Threat assesment 2. Aggression Management and Prevention 3. Crisis management programs and procedures 4. Rapid deployment techniques for campus security officials 5. Campus security and facilities protection 6. Student safety and education/awareness 7. Student escorts and personal protection 8. Emergency/storm/unusual event response 9. Responsibility for day-to-day operations of security operations 10. Parking security Additional education and training in these areas can provide a wealth of information to faculty, staff and students that can further contribute to preventing crises and can often save lives. Aggression Management Training Aggression Management refers to the elements of aggression that are universally identifiable through body language and behavior. Dr. John Byrnes has developed a very practical method for identifying and therefore managing harmful conflict. Dr. Byrnes has created a very scalable program that revolves around the concept of employees as sensors. Akin to the military s soldiers as sensors, this training equips employees, (faculty, staff and administrators) to identify highly specific and universal types of empirical body language and behaviors. This training illustrates how to report these indicators to a designated group of individuals who can process the information and effectively respond to potential aggressors. Included in this program are techniques that enable you to remain calm in potentially dire circumstances like Cycle Breathing and the Split Second Pause. This training can be conducted in a variety of different ways including on-campus Aggression Management Training and online training modules. 8

12 For more information, contact: Bill Farrar Andrews International Smyth Drive Valencia, CA T F For more information on Aggression Management, contact: Dr. John Byrnes Center for Aggression Management T Corporate Office Smyth Drive Valencia, CA T F Copyright 2007 Andrews International