If you see something, say something: Take these steps to help keep campuses safe

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — With September marking National Preparedness Month and Sept. 25 designated as national “If You See Something, Say Something” Awareness Day, Penn State University Police and Public Safety is reminding all students, faculty and staff of the steps they can take to help keep themselves and their fellow Penn State community members safe.  

“We regularly urge all Penn Staters to take an active role in helping to keep our campuses safe,” said Wesley Sheets, associate vice president and chief of police and public safety. “By taking steps to immediately report any suspicious activity to law enforcement, become familiar with Penn State’s Active Attacker Response Program, and sign up to receive PSUAlert text messages, individuals can be advocates for a safe community, stay informed and be prepared.”

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security designated Sept. 25 as national “If You See Something, Say Something” Awareness Day to highlight the importance of reporting suspicious activity to law enforcement. By paying attention to one’s surroundings, recognizing the signs of suspicious activity, and contacting University Police if something does not seem right, everyone can do their part to help keep Penn State’s campuses safe.  

September also is National Preparedness Month, making it a good time for the Penn State community to learn more about how to prepare for and react if presented with a potentially life-threatening situation anywhere.  

Based on the Run, Hide, Fight model developed by the city of Houston, Texas, Penn State’s Active Attacker Response Program offers the same three action steps if confronted with an active assailant, making it easy to remember and act upon in an emergency: run if you can, hide if you can’t, and fight if you have to.  

“We regularly emphasize the importance of Penn State’s Active Attacker Response Program and urge faculty, staff and students to familiarize themselves with the Run, Hide and Fight action steps because emergency preparedness requires everyone’s ongoing attention,” Sheets said. “Understanding of the premise of the program allows individuals to prepare themselves to think clearly and respond quickly — because every second matters when facing a crisis.”

The Run, Hide, Fight concept is endorsed at the local, state and federal levels, including by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the FBI. University Police and Public Safety routinely offers Active Attacker Response Program training to campus groups, and training can be requested on the University Police and Public Safety website. Enhanced online training opportunities also will be available and shared in the coming months on the Learning Resource Network and Canvas platforms.  

University Police and Public Safety has robust policies and procedures in place for active-attacker situations, and Penn State police officers train regularly for such potential circumstances. However, it is important that community members take the time to familiarize themselves with the Active Attacker Response Program, as it is designed to provide options to help survive an attack in the first crucial moments before police arrive on the scene. Depending on individual circumstances, it is important to note that the run, hide and fight action steps may not always occur in this exact order, so being familiar with them all as possible options, regardless of order, is urged.     

Beyond the program’s namesake actions, University Police provides the following additional guidance to community members on what to do during each step in the process:

Run

• Have an escape route and plan in mind.

• Make sure it is safe to leave the area. Use your eyes and ears to determine if it is safe to run.

• Leave your belongings behind.

• Keep your hands visible.

• Once in a safe place, call 911 and give detailed information about what is happening and the location. Do not assume someone else has already called the police. 

Hide

• If unable to run from the danger, your second option should be to hide.

• Find a place that is out of the attacker’s sight and remain quiet.

• Do not huddle together, as this creates an easier target.

• Lock and barricade doors with whatever is available, such as desks, chairs or door wedges.

• Shut off lights.

Fight

• Fighting is a last resort to be used only when your life is in imminent danger. (However, sometimes fighting may be the first and only option.)

• Find an object to use as a weapon, such as a fire extinguisher, backpack, book or chair.

• Attempt to incapacitate the attacker; commit to your actions; work with others to disable the assailant.

In the event of any report of an active shooter or attacker, a rapid response by law enforcement to the scene and communication to the community by email, text and telephone using the University’s PSUAlert system would occur. Initial alert messages would be followed by critical information and regular updates.

All Penn State students and employees automatically receive PSUAlerts at their Penn State email address. Students and employees are encouraged to visit psualert.psu.edu to update their settings — using the yellow “Manage My Alerts” button — so that they receive PSUAlerts by text message and/or phone call, too. Students who wish to add the phone number and/or email address of a parent, guardian or family member as a recipient of PSUAlert messages can do so as well. Users also can choose to receive alerts for multiple Penn State campuses. In the event of an emergency, PSUAlert will be used to provide the campus community with critical information.

PSUAlerts also are now accessible and archived directly at the psualert.psu.edu website. This addition allows anyone, including community members who cannot enroll in the PSUAlert notification system, to view a list of current and prior alerts for each campus.

Employees who may find it difficult to review such subject matter or take part in the trainings offered by University Police can seek support through Penn State’s Employee Assistance Program. Students at University Park can find support through Counseling and Psychological Services. Students at other Penn State campuses can find support here.

Members of the Penn State community are strongly encouraged to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement immediately. Call 814-863-1111 at University Park or click here to contact your local campus police station. Click here to report suspicious activity or a crime online on any Penn State campus. In an emergency, always call 911.