Active Threat Response
Be prepared
An active threat is a person (or persons) who is actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area. An active threat will many times use a firearm but can also use any weapon including knives and explosives. Please use the video resources and strategy on this page to further educate yourself on how to respond in the unlikely event you are faced with just such an emergency.
Videos
| Click here to watch a video from Homeland Security |
Click here to watch a video from the UW-Madison Police Department (scroll down on the page for video) |
Campus Emergency Notification System
In the event of an emergency on campus, the UW-Eau Claire community will be notified via some or all of the following:
- Messages on the university home page.
- Messages posted from UW-Eau Claire's Facebook and Twitter accounts.
- Pop-up messages on all university computers connected to the campus network.
- Messages sent to all campus email addresses.
- Notifications sent to all cell phone numbers and non-university email addresses registered through Omnilert, UW-Eau Claire's emergency notification system.
- Messages on digital signs in campus buildings.
- Announcements over the campus wide interior and exterior public address system.
To learn more about the notification system and to sign up for emergency text message notifications, follow this link:
Recognizing Signs of Potential Workplace Violence
An active threat could be a current or former employee. Alert your human resources department if you believe an employee exhibits potentially violent behavior. Indicators of potentially violent behavior may include one or more of the following:
- Increased use of alcohol and/or illegal drugs
- Unexplained increase in absenteeism, and/or vague physical complaints
- Depression/Withdrawal
- Increased severe mood swings, and noticeably unstable or emotional responses
- Increasingly talks of problems at home
- Increase in unsolicited comments about violence, firearms, and other dangerous weapons and violent crimes
Active Threat: How to Respond
1. Evacuate
- Have an escape route and plan in mind
- Leave your belongings behind
- Keep your hands visible
2. Hide
- Hide in an area out of the active threat’s view
- Block entry to your hiding place and lock the doors
3. Take Action
- As a last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger
- Attempt to incapacitate the active threat
- Act with physical aggression and throw items at the active threat
When Law Enforcement Arrives on the Scene
- Remain calm, and follow officers’ instructions
- Immediately raise hands and spread fingers
- Keep hands visible at all times
- Avoid making quick movements toward officers such as attempting to hold onto them for safety
- Avoid pointing, screaming and/or yelling
- Do not stop to ask officers for help or direction when evacuating, just proceed in the direction from which officers are entering the premises
Information to Provide to Law Enforcement or 911 Operator
- Location of the active threat
- Number of active threats, if more than one
- Physical description of active threat(s)
- Number and type of weapons held by the threat(s)
- Number of potential victims at the location
Active Threat Training
The UW-Eau Claire Police Department provides in person and online Active Threat Training to our campus community.
On-Line Canvas Training
To access online training through Canvas, follow the link (you will be prompted to log in using your UWEC credentials)
In Person Training
The UW-Eau Claire Police provide in person Active Threat Training by utilizing the ALICE model of training.
To request an in person ALICE training, please contact us by phone or email: