What can you do in an active shooter situation?
GUTHRIE, Okla. (KFOR) - Would you know what to do in an active attacker situation? It's a question on the forefront of many Oklahomans' minds.
"It is a sad state of the country," said Julie Goldsmith. "But, it's our reality."
On Tuesday afternoon, the Logan County Sheriff's Office, Guthrie Police Department and Heartland Medical Direction joined forces, teaching residents how to handle these types of situations.
"It's not a matter of if this is going to happen. It's a matter of when it's going to happen," said Bill Worden, the medical director for the Logan County Sheriff's Office and Heartland Medical Direction. "Just in the recent past, we've had the school shooting at Uvalde, the shooter at the Tulsa Hospital, the 4th of July shooting."
In a nutshell, the three main tips he gave during his presentation included:
- Avoid the situation
"Run away," said Worden. "Get as far as you can. Think about those alternative exits, don't limit yourself to the door you came in."
- Deny the attacker access
Worden said even if it's just a few seconds, giving yourself a lead when getting away from the attacker can save your life.
"Locking the doors do help, turn the lights out, get out of sight," he explained.
- Defend yourself by any means necessary
"Turn normal things into a weapon," said Worden. "Turn this bottle of liquor into a weapon. If all you've got is a bottle of wine and that's going to defend yourself, then by all means that's what you're going to use to defend yourself."
Topics also discussed during the course include attacker warning signs, what to do when police arrive and hands on training for how to stop wound from bleeding using a tourniquet.
"There are things that you can do to save your life and the life of those around you," said Worden. "So, you have to be prepared and understand how to do those things."
According to Worden, a recorded version of Tuesday's presentation will be shared on the Heartland Medical Direction Facebook Page within the next few days.