Building a Culture of Safety - Andrews International

ANDREWS INTERNATIONAL

Building a Culture of Safety An Educational Tool: How to participate in your own safety on campus


TABLE OF CONTENTS

Snap Out of It! Gain Control of Your Environment ............................................... 1 Educate Yourself on Hostile Behaviors: Primal vs. Cognitive Learn How Aggression Escalates ............................................... 3 Minimize Potential Danger Take Action in an Emergency: Student Response ....................... 5 First Responders ......................... 6 Continue Your Education Learn More and Get Involved ..................................................... 7 Build a Culture of Safety Administrators, Faculty, Staff and Public Safety Departments ..... 8 Contact Information ............................................... Back Cover


Snap Out of it! Gain Control of Your Environment

Take Yourself Off of Automatic How many times have we all been told that a critical component of our safety is awareness? The reason is because, it’s true. Being alert and present in any given situation is essential when it comes to protecting ourselves. In fact, many would argue that it is half the battle in any threatening situation.

“Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness.” - James Thurber

Unfortunately, despite the fact that we know this, we are so caught up in day-to-day distractions that more often than not, we fail to maintain a critical level of awareness.

Practice Your Common Senses Contribute to a Culture of Safety Vigilance – Use awareness to protect your personal boundaries. Create prevention through vigilance. Avoidance – Know how to identify a high-risk situation or environment and avoid it. Escape – Know when and how to get away from a threatening situation.

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BUILDING A CULTURE OF SAFETY

Prepare for the Exam of Your Life Equip Yourself for Threatening Situations When on Campus 1. Know how to distinguish between a Primal and Cognitive Aggressor. 2. Know how to notify campus security and get results. 3. Know the layout of your campus. 4. Know who your school’s safety officials are. 5. Know what buildings have 24/7 security. 6. Know what your school’s emergency notification system is. 7. Know where the exits are at all times when you are indoors. 8. Know your role in your school’s emergency plans and response procedures. 9. Know how you can reach a school counselor. 10. Know what transportation services are available to you. This information is intended to serve as a preliminary step towards enabling you to take an active role in your safety.

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Educate Yourself on Hostile Behaviors Learn How Aggression Escalates

®

Cognitive Aggressors:

Primal Aggressors:

• They make conscious, deliberate attacks. • They are fueled by intent, be it hostile or malicious. • They are individuals who are victimizers, predators, criminals and terrorists.

• They act instinctively and are fueled by adrenaline. • They respond in a classic ‘fight or flight’ manner. • They lose control and attack.

Unlike Primal Aggressors, Cognitive Aggressors, past the Crisis Phase, often go unnoticed because they have reached a state of cold, detached, emotionless steeliness. They have no traditionally red-faced, ready-to-explode body language or facial expressions that would indicate any inclination towards violence. Oftentimes, Cognitive Aggressors disengage and follow their own course of action.

Primal Aggressors are generally identifiable by their rush of adrenaline illustrated through anger, rage, frustration and/or fear, which are revealed in their body language, facial expression and tone of voice.

(Intent-driven aggression)

(Adrenaline-driven aggression)

A Primal Aggressor, past the Crisis Phase, is an individual who has become enraged and due to loss of control, is compelled to act in a violent manner.

During the Escalation Phase, Primal and Cognitive Aggression feed off one another. At the Crisis Phase, Primal and Cognitive Aggression divert as shown in the graphic on the next page. This graphic also illustrates that the measures that delineate Primal and Cognitive Aggression permit the observer the opportunity to identifying aggression prior to conflict. Prevent conflict and you can prevent violence.

NOTE: The information contained herein is intended to serve as an overview of the typical stages of aggression that each type of aggressor (Primal and Cognitive) may experience. It is important to note however that no two individuals are alike and that not all aggressors (Primal or Cognitive) will necessarily experience each stage precisely as indicated. It is also important to note that the language used herein is proprietary and can be used only with the permission of Dr John Byrnes.

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Cognitive Aggression

Primal Aggression

L

STAGE 9 Willing to do whatever it takes, including taking their own life to meet their objective: murder/suicide, terrorism.

STAGE 9 Panics or becomes enraged. Exhibits the body language of an attacker. Fight, flight or freeze phenomena.

STAGE 8 Plans to attack victim without self-sacrifice: murderer, combatant.

STAGE 8 Complete loss of judgment. Actions and words usually fail to make sense.

STAGE 7 Complicit and in conspiracy with Stage 8 & 9, becomes tactical in nature.

CRISIS PHASE (Simplified)

STAGE 7 Loses verbal control and words generally do not make sense.

(Simplified)

(divergence)

STAGE 5 Deliberately damages the reputation of another by exposing them publicly as an enemy. STAGE 4 Secretly creates distrust of their victim within their community. Sniper behavior.

STAGE 6 Perceives self as a victim. Demonstrates intimidation and threats.

Primal Aggression

Cognitive Aggression

STAGE 6 Issues an ultimatum. Proclaims the victim as evil.

CRISIS PHASE

STAGE 5 Belligerent, yelling, sweating, unusual swearing. STAGE 4 The aggressor refuses to comply. Depersonalizes victim.

STAGE 3 Abandons communication as a tool.

STAGE 3 Hypervigilant, questions authority.

STAGE 2 Chooses a side and fixates on one point of view. Loses trust of others.

STAGE 2 Deterioration of fine motor skills.

STAGE 1 Hardens points of view, begins deception, creates distance, lacks empathy.

STAGE 1 Scattered and disjointed thinking.

ESCALATION PHASE

ESCALATION PHASE

NORMAL BEHAVIOR BASELINE

NORMAL BEHAVIOR BASELINE

Left Brain

Right Brain

Courtesy of the Center for Aggression Management

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Minimize Potential Danger Take Action in an Emergency What to do when an assault is imminent or in progress on campus.

Student Response: first

(Active shooter/deadly behavior) 1. Remain calm. 2. Call security. 3. Call 911. Provide them with the following information: a. Location b. Description of what the incident involves c. Identification or a description of the attacker d. Description of injuries, if known

4. Staff should immediately direct students and guests from the area to safe locations such as classrooms or offices. 5. If doors cannot be locked, begin stacking all available items such as furniture or equipment in the doorways to create an obstacle. 6. Turn off all lights and remain quiet. 7. Get down on the floor away from windows. 8. DO NOT answer the door. 9. Wait for uniformed police to arrive and follow their directions. 10. Do not respond to fire alarm bells; it may be a trick to draw people into the open. (Jonesboro, AR)

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first responders:

Each crisis is unique. The incident may fluctuate between active and inactive status. (An active shooter may become a barricaded suspect with or without access to victims). Security personnel responding to the emergency shall immediately: 1. Notify 911. 2. Establish and notify an Emergency Operations Center. 3. Assess the situation. 4. In the case of an active shooter or deadly behavior/assault: a.

Announce a complete campus lockdown. Use of a four audible alarm system is recommended; • Audible fire alarm (Public access). • Evacuation alarm (Security access only). • Audible lockdown alarm. • All clear.

b. In

addition to audible alarms, the following should be incorporated: • • • •

Voice Commands. Bullhorns. Telephone, Cellphone (Text Messaging). Intercom.

5. Assist in the lockdown or evacuation of all students, employees and guests into safe areas.

6. Limit entry to the campus to emergency personnel

only, (allowing easy access for emergency responders).

7. Keep open communication lines with dispatch. 8. Assist with the EOC (Emergency Operations Center).

Andrews International has experience with the organization and training of armed Contact and Rescue teams in Rapid Deployment and Emergency Response. Contact company representatives with inquiries.

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Continue Your Education Learn More and Get Involved While this tool kit provides an overview of actions you can take to improve your safety through awareness and general knowledge, you can do more to build a culture of safety by becoming more involved and taking steps to see that all potential crisis issues are addressed.

5. Find out if your school has a comprehensive crisis management plan and what your role in that plan is.

Take Action by Getting Answers

6. Find out if your school conducted a safety and preparedness assessment; if they contracted with law enforcement or security professionals to conduct the assessment and when it was conducted.

You can use the following list to determine if your school can do more to prepare for and handle crisis situations and safety in general.

7. Find out if school psychologists or therapists are available to counsel anyone who may present themselves as having an aggressive disorder

1. Learn how to identify emerging aggression, prior to harmful conflict, when it is the easiest to diffuse. Learn how to distinguish between Primal and Cognitive Aggression to take control and prevent aggression that may occur. 2. Find out if your campus has developed an Aggression Management Team trained to prevent violence on campus. 3. Find out if your school has a safety committee. Find out how often they meet and if the committee consists of any parents or students.

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4. Find out if your school has a crisis management team. Find out how often they meet and if the team consists of any parents or students.


8. Find out if your school provides opportunities to learn more about your own safety both on and off campus. By obtaining this information, you can make a difference in your school by ensuring that all components of safety are addressed and that plans are in place to prevent and /or handle any threatening situations.

Build a Culture of Safety Administrators, Faculty, Staff and Public Safety Departments Play a role in your childs safety

Because educational institutions and their campuses play host to a broad range of faculty, staff, students, notables and the general public, an extremely professional level of security planning, prevention and protection is a necessity.

Additional education and training in these areas can provide a wealth of information to faculty, staff and students that can further contribute to preventing crises and can often save lives.

The more staff, faculty, parents and students are aware of what precautionary and preventative measures to take, the better off everyone will be on any campus.

Aggression Management refers to the elements of aggression that are universally identifiable through body language and behavior. Dr. John Byrnes has developed a very practical method for identifying and therefore managing harmful conflict.

Many schools have budgets allocated training, education and additional security. Find out what your school’s options are and determine if they have considered the following: 1. Threat assesment 2. Aggression Management and Prevention 3. Crisis management programs and procedures 4. Rapid deployment techniques for campus security officials 5. Campus security and facilities protection 6. Student safety and education/awareness 7. Student escorts and personal protection 8. Emergency/storm/unusual event response 9. Responsibility for day-to-day operations of security operations 10. Parking security

Aggression Management Training

Dr. Byrnes has created a very scalable program that revolves around the concept of employees as sensors. Akin to the military’s “soldiers as sensors”, this training equips employees, (faculty, staff and administrators) to identify highly specific and universal types of empirical body language and behaviors. This training illustrates how to report these indicators to a designated group of individuals who can process the information and effectively respond to potential aggressors. Included in this program are techniques that enable you to remain calm in potentially dire circumstances like “Cycle Breathing” and the “Split Second Pause.” This training can be conducted in a variety of different ways including on-campus Aggression Management Training and online training modules.

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For more information, contact: Bill Farrar Andrews International 27959 Smyth Drive Valencia, CA 91355 T 661.775.8400 F 661. 775.8794 For more information on Aggression Management, contact: Dr. John Byrnes Center for Aggression Management T 407.718.5637

Corporate Office 27959 Smyth Drive Valencia, CA 91355 T 661.775.8400 F 661.775.8794 www.andrewsinternational.com © Copyright 2007 Andrews International