The School Shooting EpidemicThe School Shooting Epidemic

Case Study: Thurston High SchoolCase Study: Thurston High School

Springfield, OregonSpringfield, Oregon

May 19, 1998May 19, 1998

ObjectivesObjectives Review recent school Review recent school

shooting incidentsshooting incidents Focus on ThurstonFocus on Thurston

– EMS/Police ResponseEMS/Police Response– Triage and TransportTriage and Transport– Hospital ResponseHospital Response– Community ResponseCommunity Response– Public Affairs/MediaPublic Affairs/Media– School SafetySchool Safety– Mental HealthMental Health– Ongoing IssuesOngoing Issues

Use school shooting in Use school shooting in PLANNING scenariosPLANNING scenarios

RESPONSERESPONSE– awarenessawareness– develop systemsdevelop systems– scene safetyscene safety– drill and integratedrill and integrate

MITIGATIONMITIGATION– school proceduresschool procedures– health care responsehealth care response– communitycommunity

Multiple Fatality Multiple Fatality US School Shootings US School Shootings

1997/98 Academic Year 1997/98 Academic Year – Pearl, Mississippi 10/1/97Pearl, Mississippi 10/1/97– West Paducah, Kentucky 12/1/97West Paducah, Kentucky 12/1/97– Jonesboro, Arkansas 3/25/97Jonesboro, Arkansas 3/25/97– Pomona, California 4/28/98Pomona, California 4/28/98– Springfield, Oregon 5/21/98Springfield, Oregon 5/21/98

1998/99 Academic Year1998/99 Academic Year– Littleton, Colorado 4/20/99Littleton, Colorado 4/20/99

Multicasualty School Shootings Are Multicasualty School Shootings Are Not A New PhenomenonNot A New Phenomenon

1989-19931989-1993– Stockton, California 1/17/89Stockton, California 1/17/89– Brooklyn, New York 2/9/92Brooklyn, New York 2/9/92– Olivehurst, California 5/1/92Olivehurst, California 5/1/92– Grayson, Kentucky 1/18/93Grayson, Kentucky 1/18/93

1996-19981996-1998– Moses Lake, Washington 2/2/96Moses Lake, Washington 2/2/96– Bethel, Alaska 2/19/97Bethel, Alaska 2/19/97

Single Victim Single Victim US School ShootingsUS School Shootings

HS student - Florida 1/12/93HS student - Florida 1/12/93 HS student - Missouri 3/25/93HS student - Missouri 3/25/93 HS student - Pennsylvania 5/24/93HS student - Pennsylvania 5/24/93 teacher - Maryland 4/8/94teacher - Maryland 4/8/94 23 yr old alum - Washington DC 4/5/9623 yr old alum - Washington DC 4/5/96 HS student - New York 5/1/97HS student - New York 5/1/97 HS student suicide- Washington 3/25/98HS student suicide- Washington 3/25/98

Springfield, Oregon

May, 1998

“If it can happen here, it can happen anywhere”.

EMS ResponseEMS Response

Notification Notification Scene control and assessmentScene control and assessment Search and rescueSearch and rescue Triage and initial stabilization of victimsTriage and initial stabilization of victims Transport to definitive careTransport to definitive care

DEBRIEFING

-Psychological Impact

-Medical Care Review

-Systems Review

DON’T BECOME A VICTIM……

Responders are becoming targets too.

Hospital ResponseHospital Response Assess for plan activationAssess for plan activation Handle convergence phenomenonHandle convergence phenomenon Triage and emergent careTriage and emergent care Death and donorsDeath and donors Ongoing hospitalizationOngoing hospitalization DebriefingDebriefing

– Psychological impactPsychological impact– Medical care and systemsMedical care and systems

When does an MCI become a DISASTER?

Consider dealing with

-multiple victims

-perpetrators

-heroes

-fatally injured

as patients.

The Convergence PhenomenonThe Convergence Phenomenon

Law EnforcementLaw Enforcement Parents and FamilyParents and Family Healthcare PersonnelHealthcare Personnel The MediaThe Media SpectatorsSpectators

Your scene and

medical facilities

will be flooded with

- Parents and family

- Students and friends

- Community

- Media

School shootings

bring immediate

national attention.

Placing the BlamePlacing the Blame

Shooters parents/upbringingShooters parents/upbringing Other studentsOther students School officials and policiesSchool officials and policies School design and safetySchool design and safety Law enforcementLaw enforcement Gun accessGun access LitigationLitigation

Shock and disbelief

turn to anger and blame….

How could we have known?

What could we have done differently?

Who is responsible?

School SafetySchool Safety

Open vs Closed Open vs Closed Campus Campus

Layout ie: breezeway Layout ie: breezeway vs single entrancevs single entrance

Cameras and Metal Cameras and Metal DetectorsDetectors

Security personnelSecurity personnel

Willingness and Willingness and systems to report systems to report concerning behaviorconcerning behavior

Weapons policiesWeapons policies Interventions for high Interventions for high

risk students identifiedrisk students identified Community risksCommunity risks

The incident is only the beginning. As more information is revealed, there is more to process psychologically for victims and community.

Psychosocial IssuesPsychosocial Issues

VictimVictim BystandersBystanders Parents and FamilyParents and Family School, Healthcare, Police PersonnelSchool, Healthcare, Police Personnel CommunityCommunity

Children deal with becoming celebrities and activists as a result of being victims and heroes.

The community as victims and as a support for recovery.

Adolescent ReactionsAdolescent Reactions ImmediateImmediate

– disbelief, denial, anxiety, relief, grief, altruismdisbelief, denial, anxiety, relief, grief, altruism Short TermShort Term

– clinging, appetite/sleep disturbed, regressive behavior, somatic clinging, appetite/sleep disturbed, regressive behavior, somatic complaints, apathy, anger, hostile delinquent acts, risk takingcomplaints, apathy, anger, hostile delinquent acts, risk taking

Long TermLong Term– reconstruction, anniversary and other triggersreconstruction, anniversary and other triggers

Post Traumatic Stress DisorderPost Traumatic Stress Disorder– 3 major categories greater than 1 month3 major categories greater than 1 month– Re-experiencing, avoid reminders, irritabilityRe-experiencing, avoid reminders, irritability

Most students will cope well. Some will not and we need to find ongoing ways to identify them and provide help long term.

Life goes on….

Returning to routine is important. Striking a balance is an ongoing challenge.

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

A school shooting can happen in your communityA school shooting can happen in your community Children and adults will respond with ongoing Children and adults will respond with ongoing

psychological stresspsychological stress Refine your multicasualty response systems to Refine your multicasualty response systems to

include school childreninclude school children Review and drill school shooting scenariosReview and drill school shooting scenarios ““Let it end here” is a goal, but unfortunately not yet Let it end here” is a goal, but unfortunately not yet

a reality.a reality.

Long Term ImpactLong Term Impact

PsychologicalPsychological– RemindersReminders

– VulnerabilityVulnerability Catalyst for changeCatalyst for change

– ActivismActivism

– FrustrationFrustration

– RemediesRemedies