Des Moines Area Community College- Ankeny, IA

The shooting at Umpqua Community College raises concerns about how prepared DMACC students, faculty, and staff would be in case of a similar situation. Ned Miller, the executive director of the physical plant, has said that one of the best things students can do during a hostile situation is know your options. Miller recommends that students familiarize themselves with ALICE: Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate. ALICE is not a procedure, but a list of options says Miller. There is an ALICE poster and Emergency Procedures Guide in every classroom. The ideal situation, according to Miller, is to get out of DMACC, making sure to zig-zag while running away and hiding behind things out of the line of fire. However, it may be better to go in a classroom and board up the entrances with chairs and desks instead, Miller added. Miller also said that it is essential that you do not just hide in a classroom but also have things ready to throw and hit an attacker with. “You have to respond to what is going on around you,” Miller said. Read more