In light of the devastating hurricanes that swept through the southeast regions of the country that devastated homes, shut down businesses and schools for the entire region, and other tragic events such as school shootings, preparedness for emergencies is vitally important. Looking back at events like Hurricane Katrina and its devastating effects, the question of surviving such a tragedy or being prepared to handle what has been termed red-handled events is a question that arises in such events.
While college campus community engagement is crucial, preparedness for potential crises by campus staff and emergency staff is vitally important. Lt. Ken Nelson stressed the significance of being ready for a variety of emergencies, including what he termed “red-handle events.” He explained that these are serious incidents, such as an active shooter situation or other critical emergencies that could disrupt the safety of the campus community.
The kind of emergency events that are termed “red-handled events” or “red-handled situations,” are high-priority situations that require immediate action that requires cross agency emergency response to manage that is greater than the normal situations each individual agency is trained to respond to. Examples of red-handled events include natural disasters, mass casualty critical infrastructure system failures, and security breaches including active shooter. These events require federal agencies to mobilize and work together across agencies.
This is the second part of the ongoing campus safety series, based upon the interview with Jacqueline Collins, the director of college facilities and operations, along with Nelson, head of the campus police for the San Diego Community College District Police Department (SDCCD PD). The discussions with Nelson and Collins highlight the ongoing efforts to create a secure and supportive campus environment that is conducive to student learning and is “exceedingly” safe.
Campus safety is something no one wants to have to think about excessively with quizzes, mid-terms, finals, managing the work-school-life balance, and having a personal life. The goal of attending school is to focus on an education, therefore worrying about personal or campus safety shouldn’t be something you have to spend an inordinate amount of time on.
The idea of preparedness to prevent and deter appears to be an important focus for the Mesa Campus Police Department and the campus staff. Nelson emphasized the training protocols for responding to such events: “Our officers are all trained that even if it’s just one of you, you are going to get there as quickly as possible.” They also have long rifles on standby to ensure they are not outgunned during a red-handle event.
A follow up question addressed the number of officers stationed at Mesa College and their ability to respond quickly across the campus. Nelson acknowledged the challenge posed by the many entrances and exits. “Even with a large department, you cannot cover every one of them,” he noted. However, he reassured that in the event of a critical incident, officers from the entire district, as well as the San Diego Police Department, would respond alongside campus police in the event of a red-handled event.
Nelson provided insight into the training and response protocols for dealing with crisis situations. When discussing what constitutes a “red handle event,” he stated, “An active shooter…that’s a red handle event here.” He detailed a previous incident where officers were engaged in a situation involving a stolen vehicle that led to a nearby officer involved shooting that did not include anyone from Mesa. This occurred late at night, but the potential for danger during daytime hours underscored the importance of preparedness.
The lieutenant described the need for officers to respond to various emergencies, such as a suicide incident that occurred on campus. He explained, “At some point, we have to deal with that scene and that death investigation…while dealing with the shock that is also happening to our students, staff and faculty.” This highlights the emotional and psychological toll that such events can have on the entire campus community, further emphasizing the necessity for trained professionals who can navigate these complex situations.
The lieutenant elaborated, stating, “We want to be prepared should a red-handled event happen here,” emphasizing the need for rigorous training beyond state requirements. His department goes above and beyond to ensure officers are equipped to handle emergencies effectively. “We understand that just because we’re a college community, there are still outside influences that come onto this campus,” he remarked, highlighting the unpredictable nature of safety threats in any public space.
In terms of communication during emergencies, the campus has a variety of systems in place. Collins explained, “Depending on the building, we have the ability to lock them down remotely” and that students can “subscribe to email text messages updates through our platform, PeopleSoft.” They are also exploring an application that would allow students and staff to receive real-time notifications about campus incidents, which could range from emergencies to minor alerts like traffic issues near the campus.
Collins has also been instrumental in keeping the campus safety program up to date. Both Nelson and Collins highlighted the importance of training programs, such as an Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate (ALICE) active shooter response training and Community Emergency Response Training (CERT), which help staff and students prepare for various emergencies. Collins mentioned that “part of the ALICE training, part of the CERT training, is to cover how to prepare yourself for an emergency,” which includes practical skills like turning off gas lines during a natural disaster.
In light of recent events across the nation from Hurricane Helene and a recent school shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia, responding to specific preparations for major earthquake, tsunami, active shooter, mass casualty or other extreme personal safety situations. Collins indicated that they have recently offered a Rap Aggression Defense (RAD) training course and that they will be offering another training in the spring semester that is open to students.
Additionally highlighting recent training initiatives, the college hosted ALICE active shooter response training, where participants learned techniques for personal and campus safety during what Nelson referred to as red-handle events. Collins noted, “We recently conducted A.L.I.C.E. training, where we trained nearly 40 individuals on how to keep themselves safe in the event of an active shooter incident.” The proactive approach to training reflects the administration’s commitment to campus safety. They also indicated that they are working with the police department to develop an A.L.I.C.E. training tailored to the students. They are going to offer A.L.I.C.E. response training that will be open to the students in the spring semester.
Mesa will also provide C.E.R.T. disaster preparedness training for the faculty and staff on an ongoing basis. Collins mentioned, “We’ve been rebuilding our safety program for about the last year, and we’ve trained upwards of 60 folks since January to respond to a campus emergency through our Campus Community Emergency Response Team (C-CERT).” This program aims to equip faculty and staff with the skills needed to handle emergencies effectively.
Addressing an inquiry about student involvement opportunities in the C.E.R.T. program, specifically whether it would be open to non-staff members. Collins mentioned that, historically, C.E.R.T. has been available only to employees, partly due to access and logistical concerns within campus buildings. “It’s something to think about,” she acknowledged, indicating openness to potential changes in the future.
As a response to the pandemic, the college has been actively ensuring that its safety program is robust and meets the needs of the camp. Both Nelson and Collins stressed the importance of preparedness for natural disasters and other emergencies. Nelson expressed confidence in the staff’s commitment to safety, stating, “The staff here go above and beyond when it comes to trying to keep everybody here safe.” The training provided to campus officers emphasizes a community-oriented approach, aiming to be seen as accessible resources rather than just enforcers of the law.
The staff of the Mesa College campus would like to assure students that they have things handled, that they are actively training and are prepared for any red handled events. Collins mentioned, “We want to make sure that folks know how to report safety concerns and understand the evacuation protocols.” They want students to know that they are going above and beyond to prepare for any emergency and make sure that they can ensure the students personal safety.
