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How to Protect Yourself During Active Shooter Situations

WYOMING — Country music fans in Las Vegas panicked after a gunman starting shooting from a hotel room. Officers with the Wyoming Borough Police Department...

WYOMING -- Country music fans in Las Vegas panicked after a gunman starting shooting from a hotel room.

Officers with the Wyoming Borough Police Department in Luzerne County want people to know what to do if they find themselves in a similar situation.

Police Commissioner Mike Flanagan said you need to be aware of any helpful tools you may have, know what buildings you can barricade yourself inside, and where exits are placed.

“The body will never go where the mind has never been,” Commissioner Flanagan said. “Thinking about where the exits are, how am I going to get out of here, what can I use for cover. It's not being paranoid. It's just being aware of your surroundings.”

Some people at the concert tried to take cover from the gunshots by laying down on the ground. Flanagan said it’s always better to be active because it’s harder to target something that is moving.

“Whether it's, get the heck out of there, find a room to barricade yourself in and prepare to defend yourself, you know, whatever the situation could be,” Flanagan said.

In 2006, the Beach Boys performed at Kirby Park in Wilkes-Barre. Thousands of people came to enjoy the show. Michael Stas was at the park Monday. He said it’s hard to imagine what it’d be like if someone started shooting.

“It's kind of a helpless feeling because you really can't stop someone who wants to do something like that. It's really tough. It's really difficult,” Stas said.

Police do offer active shooter safety seminars for the public. People in Luzerne County said they would take the time to learn more.

“Oh sure, without a doubt. I think not only me, a lot of people should be taking situations like this in and at least garnering more information about terrible situations that are going on,” George Gegaris of Mountain Top said.

“The more we know about situations like that the better off we are to protect ourselves and our loved ones,” Stas said.

The next seminar will be hosted by Roll Call 911 on Wednesday, October 11 at 6 p.m. at 701 Hudson Avenue in Scranton.

Officers told Newswatch 16 you can sign up for the seminar by calling 570-496-4867.

Police said they take a lot of what they learn from the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training at Texas State University. You can learn more about its tactics by clicking here.

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