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'Get trained': NC expert puts school active shooter drills under the microscope

In North Carolina, every public school is required by law to hold active shooter drills. But one expert told WRAL News that training is outdated.

Posted Updated

By
Cullen Browder
, WRAL anchor/reporter
RALEIGH, N.C. — The security consultant who trained teachers at the site of the school shooting in Nashville said teachers saved lives by quickly getting children to safe places.

But closer to home, one expert told WRAL News he felt the state had outdated training exercises.

Nineteen-year-law enforcement veteran Seth DiSanto now counsels schools and corporations on security for North Carolina-based Lockdown International.

"We all agree that violence within our school systems is a problem that exists," DiSanto said. "So we need to come up with a solution."

DiSanto estimates that about 80 percent of his time with the company is spent researching active shootings, learning from past tragedies and looking into how schools prepare.

"Active shooters don’t snap, they plan," he said. "Your plan should not be a checklist."

DiSanto believes the active shooter training guidelines from the North Carolina Center for Safer Schools are outdated.

"I taught run, hide, fight for seven years," he said.

That's the suggested protocol in a video shown to train others.

“The steps are run, hide or fight," DiSanto said.

"If evacuation is not possible, then you and your students should find a place to hide where an active shooter is less likely to find you," DiSanto said.

DiSanto said hiding falls right into the prepared shooter's hands.

"They know that the response from people is going to automatically be to hide and 99 percent of the time it’s going to be in a school setting underneath the desk," he said.

He points to previous school shootings. At Columbine in 1999, 12 of the 13 victims were hiding. At Virginia Tech in 2007, 28 of the 29 victims were hiding. And at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012, every student and staff member who died, was hiding.

"Why put yourself in a situation where the active shooter plans and knows that you’re going to be?" said DiSanto.

Instead, his group promotes avoid, barricade, counter and survive. He says when you can't avoid, barricading immediately is vital.

Lockdown International created the barricade box, which is a quick, easy way to secure classrooms for $50.

"If they arrive at door that’s barricaded, statistically speaking they’re going to move on to the target of easiest opportunity," said DiSanto.

He argues current protocol to barricade rooms, as shown in a training video, isn't realistic.

"Let’s not rely on the idea of piling up furniture in front of the door as our safeguard," DiSanto said.

In the video, a barricade box installs next to a door and its cut-proof and fire-proof Kevlar cord keeps intruders out. As demonstrated, within seconds, it's wrapped around the door handle and secured.
"It’s easily deployed by a child of any age," said DiSanto.

Once the room is secure, teachers can plan the next step.

"You can’t just say we’re barricaded and we’re doing nothing else," said DiSanto.
That could include trying to escape through windows or getting behind furniture as protection if there's no way out. Whether it's some sort of barricade to slow down active shooters or new, high-tech weapon detection systems to keep guns out of schools on a daily basis, DiSanto supports the many tools available.

"Are they a step in the right direction? Absolutely," DiSanto said.

DiSanto's big message to schools is simple.

"Every single company like ours has the same goal, simply to save lives," said DiSanto. "Get trained."

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