School swattings, lockdowns put parents and students on edge. Here’s how to stay safe.
Experts say that it is important to know how to react if you ever find yourself in a high-alert situation.
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New Jersey has seen more high-alert incidents than the state did over 20 years ago. And as incidents like swatting or other hoax phone calls are on the rise, security experts say it’s important to know how to react if you ever find yourself in such a situation.
Joe Tadrick, president of Tier One Strategies, says active shooter incidents have seen an increase in occurrences, especially at schools. He says preparation is the key.
"We have fire drills, and everybody knows what a fire drill is but nobody really understands what a lockdown is but you have to practice these things they have to become second nature just like a fire drill,” Tadrick says.
Omashwari Antooa lives in Secaucus near High Tech High School. The school and a nearby day care were put in a shelter-in-place on Friday following reports of an armed man in the area.
RELATED: Secaucus school, day care put into shelter-in-place amid reports of armed man nearby
"No one likes to think about things like this, but it is important because shootings happen, especially at schools. Unfortunately, I would rather her know what to do,” Antooa says.
Though incidents may vary, most people in a high-alert situation should follow the run-hide-fight method.
Experts say if you can run away from the issue, you want to run away. Hide if there’s an active shooter in your building. Lock the door, push furniture up against the door and be quiet. The last option is to fight.
Tadrick says If lockdown is done correctly, you should never have to fight.
Tadrick also said that, particularly when a school issues a lockdown, parents should not go to the school. He says the kids are locked in and can’t come out until the all-clear is given and if there is a threat, it increases the number of targets.
