A.L.I.C.E. is an acronym for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate. The A.L.I.C.E. protocol is an enhanced lockdown technique that calls for making active decisions and provides options to staff and students in an emergency situation. First I will discuss what each element of the A.L.I.C.E protocol stands for and then how you can leverage StaffAlerter to implement that element.
A -Alert is your first notification of danger.
ALERT is when you first become aware of a threat. The sooner you understand that you’re in danger, the sooner you can save yourself. A speedy response is critical. Seconds count.
Alert is overcoming denial, recognizing the signs of danger, and receiving notifications about the danger from others. Alerts should be accepted, taken seriously, and should help you make survival decisions based on your circumstances.
StaffAlerter – Alerting at the first signs of danger
Building security is extremely important and making sure that all doors in your facility are closed is the first line in preventing unauthorized access. By installing PropStop devices on all exterior doors you can be assured that your facility doors have not been propped open to allow unauthorized access to your facility. In the event of a door prop, the PropStop can alert you to this condition allowing preemptive action in preventing a possible threat.
In the event, an intruder gains access to your facility, adding single action Lockdown buttons throughout a facility in easy access areas allows any building occupant to be able to trigger a lockdown. These Lockdown Buttons can be wired back to the StaffAlerter system or can be deployed wirelessly using the school’s existing wireless network and installed in a matter of minutes. Seconds count, ease of installation, and correct placement of these buttons are crucial in the event of an emergency.
Activating a lockdown button can trigger multiple visible/audible or silent actions. These actions can be but are not limited to Sending a Voice, SMS, or Email message to all staff. Play a pre-recorded announcement over the PA System. Send an alert to an alarm monitoring station to notify 911 services of the event and provide any location information possible to direct these services to where they can make the most impact.
L – Lockdown, Barricade the room. Prepare to EVACUATE or COUNTER if needed.
If EVACUATION is not a safe option, barricade entry points into your room in an effort to create a semi-secure starting point.
StaffAlerter – Lockdown and Prepare
When a lockdown is initiated visible and audible notifications via the StaffAlerter’s SA-Alert devices installed throughout a facility can help signal the lockdown event and get occupants to a safe place and out of harm’s way. With a 110db siren and strobe light, these units can help to disorient an active shooter threat.
Threat Extinguisher units can be deployed in the classroom to provide a means for staff or occupants to prepare if the barricade were to fail and the A.L.I.C.E. protocol is no longer a viable option.
I – Inform, Communicate the violent intruder’s location and direction in real-time.
The purpose of INFORM is to continue to communicate information in as real-time as possible if it is safe to do so. Armed intruder situations are unpredictable and evolve quickly, which means that ongoing, real-time information is key to making effective survival decisions. Information should always be clear, direct, and in plain language, not using codes. If the shooter is known to be in an isolated section of a building, occupants in other wards can safely evacuate while those in direct danger can perform enhanced lockdown and prepare to counter.
Video surveillance, 911 calls and PA announcements are just a few of the channels that may be used by employees, safety officers, and other personnel to inform others. An emergency response plan should have clear methods outlined for informing school employees, hospital workers, or any other employees of the location of a violent intruder.
StaffAlerter – Inform and Communicate
When evacuation is not possible and building occupants are barricaded in a room StaffAlerter can be used by building occupants by accessing a web page and sending updates to safety officers or first responders during the event to provide real-time accurate information and communicate room status. The status of all rooms can then be viewed on an easy-to-read dashboard showing green for safe and secure, and red for problem areas. This allows first responders to know what areas they need to get to quickly to reduce the threat and save lives.
C- Counter, Create Noise, Movement, Distance, and Distraction with the intent of reducing the shooter’s ability to shoot accurately. Counter is NOT fighting.
A.L.I.C.E. Training does not believe that actively confronting a violent intruder is the best method for ensuring the safety of those involved. Counter is a strategy of last resort within the A.L.I.C.E. protocol. Counter focuses on actions that create noise, movement, distance, and distraction with the intent of reducing the shooter’s ability to shoot accurately. Creating a dynamic environment decreases the shooter’s chance of hitting a target and can provide the precious seconds needed in order to evacuate.
StaffAlerter – Counter
Using the facility PA system and SA-Alert Devices, sounds, lights, alert tones, and false messages that can be sent as voice recordings on-demand to the PA system and played throughout the facility confusing the attacker and making them hesitate towards their chosen destination or goal.
E – Evacuate, When safe to do so, remove yourself from the danger zone.
ALICE provides techniques for safer and more strategic evacuations. Evacuating to a safe area takes people out of harm’s way and hopefully prevents civilians from having to come into contact with the shooter.
StaffAlerter – Evacuate
If you cannot evacuate, are barricaded in a room with no way out, or hiding somewhere in the facility. Threat Extinguisher gives you a way to defend yourself as a last resort. Threat Extinguisher is a canister of gel-based tactical-grade pepper spray that can be used as a last resort to disable the assailant. With a 20+ foot range and a Scoville Rating of 2,500,000 – 5,000,000 units, you can paint the target from head to torso and any exposed skin will feel like it is on fire providing an opening for occupants to escape.
The A.L.I.C.E. related information in this article was provided by Navigate360. StaffAlerter integrates with Navigate360 to provide notification and automation of emergency protocols during an event reducing time to action within the building while notifying outside personnel and 911 services. For more information on the ALICE protocol and training please visit https://www.alicetraining.com/.
