Being prepared for workplace violence or active shooter events have become top priority for corporations and organizations alike. The workplace violence response programs, Run-Hide-Fight and ALICE, are widely accepted and taught within organizations across all industries. Let’s highlight the key aspects of each program.
Run-Hide-Fight
Run – Always try to escape and evacuate an area where an assailant is present. Having a planned escape route and being aware of exits is critical for survival.
Hide – If an escape route is not present, hide. Quickly and quietly, secure safety by hiding in an office/room. If unable to secure safety in a locked room, hide behind any large object that will provide protection and act as a shield from the assailant.
Fight – If facing imminent danger and unable to run or hide, the last alternative is to fight the assailant. Prepare to use any object to disarm or distract the assailant.
ALICE (Alert Lockdown Inform Counter Evacuate)
Alert – With this alert should come an immediate response and understanding you may be in imminent danger. Every second counts and swift action is required.
Lockdown – If evacuating is not an option, secure safety in a locked and/or barricaded room.
Inform – After safety is established, communicating with law enforcement in real time is essential to provide critical information.
Counter – Focus on causing a diversion to distract the assailant.
Evacuate – When able to do so, safely leave the area.
Now that we’ve outlined the key aspects of each readiness and response program, how do you determine which program is best for your organization? As stated previously, both Run-Hide-Fight and ALICE are universally accepted and are designed to train employees on how to respond to workplace violence. Whichever program is selected, INTEGRITY recommends continued training with the chosen ideology to drive a consistent message throughout the organization.
So, are workplace violence response programs enough to keep employees safe? The answer to this question is “no”. Equal emphasis needs to be placed on workplace violence prevention programs. Violence can never be predicted with absolute certainty, however warning indicators proceeding acts of violence commonly exist. Ignoring these warning signs can have catastrophic results. It is recommended employees be taught how to identify and respond to warnings by following INTEGRITY’s ACTA model: Acknowledge – Communicate – Take Action. While Run-Hide-Fight / ALICE Training are focused on response to workplace violence, the ACTA model focuses on prevention and reducing the possibility of violence occurring in the workplace. Let’s highlight the key aspects of ACTA.
ACTA (Acknowledge Communicate Take-Action)
Acknowledge
Employees need to be trained on how to recognize verbal and non-verbal warning signs which is essential in maintaining a safe and secure work environment. Erratic behavior of a fellow employee, confrontations between coworkers, “locker room chatter” of threats against employees/supervisors, talk of weaponry or bragging about one’s criminal past, should never be ignored. Threats made, even in a joking manner, need to be taken serious. Acknowledging these verbal and non-verbal warning signs could be the catalyst in diffusing a situation before it turns violent. Employees need to dispel the “it will never happen here” mentality and accept and understand violence can occur anywhere.
Communicate
Employees need to understand the importance of communicating with others when warning signs or suspicious behaviors are observed. This line of communication needs to be established with either a supervisor or department, such as human resources, security or any other designated department within the company. Communication can also be established thru a “hotline” where the employee can remain anonymous. Employees should be reassured information provided is not viewed as “ratting someone out”, but instead taking a proactive and precautionary approach towards a possible dangerous situation. And finally, a company needs to emphasize the importance of the motto “see something, say something” because sitting back and believing someone else will report the information can have deadly consequences.
Take-Action
Once information has been received indicating a possible workplace violence situation, it is imperative immediate action is taken. Responding to such threats is an employer’s legal obligation under OSHA. Established policies and procedures as outlined in an organization’s workplace violence manual should be followed. Key members within the organization who have been trained to handle and diffuse dangerous situations should be involved. This involvement should include formulating a plan to address the negative behavior or actions occurring in the workplace. If deemed necessary, external resources can also be brought in to consult, such as law enforcement, security consultant, investigator, or psychologist. Cooperation and collaboration amongst the various internal and external resources is essential in diffusing a potentially dangerous situation.
Just as an employee should never assume someone else will report suspicious behavior, an organization cannot ignore information that threatens the safety of their employees. The Run-Hide-Fight and ALICE training programs have saved lives, but INTEGRITY believes more lives can be saved if organizations and their employees are trained to Acknowledge – Communicate – Take Action and by doing so reduce the possibility of violence in the workplace.
For more information, please contact INTEGRITY Security Consulting & Investigations
Contributing Authors:
Ken Carter | President
Beth Sawinski | Director | Client Relations
FAQs
Be sure to:
- Have an escape route and plan in mind.
- Evacuate regardless of whether others agree to follow.
- Leave your belongings behind.
- Help others escape, if possible.
- Prevent individuals from entering an area where the active shooter may be.
- Keep your hands visible.
- Follow the instructions of any police officers.
ALERT, LOCKDOWN, INFORM, COUNTER, EVACUATE
These lockdown procedures are evaluated for improvements after each drill. To ensure schools are prepared to proactively handle the threat of an intruder or active shooter, all principals and teachers have been trained in ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate).
Should you run or hide? ›
RUN: Evacuate If Possible
If there is considerable distance between you and the gunfire/armed person, quickly move away from the sound of the gunfire/armed person. If the gunfire/armed person is in your building and it is safe to do so, run out of the building and move far away until you are in a secure place to hide.
What important relevant aspect do the run hide fight and Alice protocol share? ›
The Run-Hide-Fight and ALICE training programs have saved lives, but INTEGRITY believes more lives can be saved if organizations and their employees are trained to Acknowledge – Communicate – Take Action and by doing so reduce the possibility of violence in the workplace.
What are the Alice strategies? ›
ALICE Training Acronym & Response Protocol
- ALICE: An easy to remember Acronym. Connect with a Safety Consultant. ...
- L - Lockdown. Barricade the room. ...
- I - Inform. Communicate the violent intruder's location and direction in real time. ...
- C - Counter. ...
- E - Evacuate.
Misconception 3: There is no evidence that ALICE Training makes schools safer. In the past, ALICE Training has been used successfully over a dozen times to confront violence in and outside of schools. With ALICE strategies at work, the outcomes have proven to be very beneficial in schools across the nation.
What is an Alice protocol? ›
ALICE is a federally endorsed safety protocol. The letters ALICE stand for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate: Alert – inform people of the threat, giving as much information as possible.
Is it better to run alone or with someone? ›
Running solo allows you to focus on the training that suits and works for you. Whilst running with others is obviously much more sociable, running alone allows you to indulge in some peace and time to yourself.
Is it better to run inside or outside? ›
Run outdoors, and you'll get more vitamin D. Run outside and, chances are, you'll also run for longer and further. A study found that people who exercise outside tend to exercise for longer periods of time and more often than those who exercise indoors. And despite what you might think, runners are faster outside.
Should you run quietly? ›
Running softly and naturally makes you a more efficient runner, according to a Brigham Young study published in the International Journal of Exercise Science.
The ALICE program is controversial to some. Critics suggest the “counter” method of throwing items may be confusing for younger kids or students with special needs, possibly putting them at risk.
When it is safe to do so Alice recommends which of the following strategies? ›
Evacuate– If it is safe to do so, all are encouraged to evacuate the building, and remove themselves from the threat. During ALICE training, staff and students are trained in different options for responding to a school intruder who is intent on doing harm.
What are the 4 R's in Alice training? ›
A trauma-informed approach is guided by the concept of the “Four R's.” This stands for Realize, Recognize, Respond and Resist re-traumatization.
What is Alice situational awareness? ›
Situational awareness is a key component of the ALICE program and refers to being aware of one's surroundings, recognizing threats, and knowing what response options are available.
What are best practices for evacuation Alice? ›
Empower individuals to participate in their own survival until help arrives. Lockdown: If evacuation is not a safe option, barricade entry points. Use items near you to fortify the entry points to make it difficult for anyone to enter. Prepare to evacuate or spread out in the room and prepare to counter, if necessary.
What is an Alice situation? ›
ALICE is an acronym for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate.
How long does Alice training last? ›
ALICE Training typically takes the place of the lockdown drills. The length of training for students may range from 15 to 30 minutes depending on the age of the classroom.
Are all Alice strategies applicable to all students? ›
ALICE provides parents and teachers age- appropriate material that enhances ALICE concepts and makes them applicable to children of all ages in a non-fearful way.
Are students scared or prepared after taking Alice training? ›
Consistent throughout the study, students reporting they were fearful of other crisis/emergency preparedness practices experienced more negative and less positive psychological outcomes after learning about ALICE.
What 2 categories make up the Alice program? ›
A.L.I.C.E. is an acronym that stands for: ALERT: Get the word out that a threat exists. LOCKDOWN: Secure a place to stay as much as possible as a starting point to buy time. INFORM: Give constant, real-time information throughout the building using all available technology.
Situational awareness includes these three essential actions:
- Recognition – being alerted to something out of the ordinary that could pose a threat.
- Assessment – analyzing the situation and your response options.
- Response – taking direct action to increase the chance of survival.
ALICE Training program was created out of a husband's desire for his wife to have a better plan in case of an active shooter event. After the Columbine High School shooting, Greg Crane was a law enforcement officer in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and his wife, Lisa, was an elementary principal.
Is Run Hide Fight copyrighted? ›
The phrase Run Hide Fight® is a registered trademark of the City of Houston. Watch the 2015 Surviving an Active Shooter video.
What are the four A's of employee response? ›
Try using one of the four A's: avoid, alter, accept or adapt.
Is run hide a true story? ›
That idea and real-life events like the 2013 attack on Kenya's Westgate Shopping Mall were the inspiration behind Run, Hide, Fight Back. In it, six teens end up trapped in a shopping mall after a mass shooting.
What is Alice safety? ›
ALICE is a federally endorsed safety protocol. The letters ALICE stand for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate: Alert – inform people of the threat, giving as much information as possible.
Can I rent Run Hide Fight? ›
Run Hide Fight is not available for streaming.
CAN BEAT be copyrighted? ›
The short answer:
unfortunately, no. Drumbeats and drum patterns are not typically considered songwriting – it's not typical to copyright a drumbeat. The law makes clear that lyrics, melody, harmony, and rhythm can be copyrighted.
What are the three C's of employee engagement? ›
3Cs of employee engagement: Career, competence and care.
What is the fourth item of importance to employees? ›
4. Environmental Context. The quality of the everyday experience of the employee is determined by the working conditions.
Though Run isn't based on any one true story, it's definitely a thriller that reflects the horrors of abuse against disabled people and the real life experiences of victims of carer abuse, as well as FDIA.
How much money has Run Hide Fight made? ›
When did Run Hide Fight come out? ›
What are the two strategies for Alice? ›
Alert– inform people of the threat, giving as much information as possible. Lockdown– Students and staff can choose to lockdown and barricade the room that they are in if they determine that it is not safe to evacuate.
