Dangerous Situation
An MDC ALERTS Dangerous Situation message was developed for any intentional human-generated hazard, generally of a criminal nature, occurring or imminent, that poses an immediate threat to the health and safety of individuals on campus and requires response from local law enforcement. A hostile intruder incident is one of the most likely scenarios for which a Dangerous Situation message would be played.
It is an unfortunate reality that we must even consider the possibility of a hostile intruder coming on an MDC campus. Pre-planning for such an incident will be your best chance for surviving a hostile intruder incident. The guidelines below are based on the best available information. The MDC Office of Emergency Management and Campus Public Safety Departments strongly urge each of you to familiarize yourselves with each scenario and the options provided.
Ask yourself: "What would I do?"
When there is a hostile intruder incident...TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS!
Shelter-In-Place:
You come to your Miami Dade College campus to learn, but campus violence is possible. If someone brings a weapon on campus, there are several things to remember to protect your life. In any serious, life-threatening emergency, call 911.
Remember the OUTs!
- HIDE OUT
- GET OUT
- ACT OUT
If a dangerous situation has been confirmed on campus, the appropriate personnel will be called to respond. Seek shelter immediately in a secure location, and await further instruction. We call this “Secure Sheltering-in-Place”.
- HIDE OUT! Close the door and lock it if possible. If the door does not lock, use whatever you can find to barricade the door. Turn off the lights, turn off the phone, remove personal items, and be quiet
- GET OUT! If you cannot find a secure location or are caught in an area near the hostile intruder. RUN! Put as much distance as possible between you and the intruder, and run in a zigzag pattern.
- ACT OUT! If you are in a situation where you can’t escape, fighting for your life might be your best option. Throw books, pens, or whatever you have to stun the attacker. Gang up on the hostile intruder to overpower and take them down. Your life may depend on it.
When law enforcement arrives, they won’t know you from the bad guy, so remain calm, show them your hands, and provide them with as much specific information as possible about the perpetrator. A normal reaction to a hostile intruder situation is to panic. Pre-Planning for such an incident will be your best chance for surviving.
HIDE OUT in a secure location. If required, GET OUT by running in a zigzag pattern. It is harder to hit a moving target; and if you have no other option, ACT OUT and fight back. Knowing what to do will help you avoid being a victim and make you a survivor.