Sheridan Rotarians learn about active shooter response

Sheridan Rotarians Steve Armfield, Missy Fisher (left) and Jon Raines (far right) welcome Hamilton County Sheriff Sergeant Bill Clifford to a recent club meeting. (Photo provided)

Mass killings by deranged individuals are something Americans encounter on an all-too-regular basis anymore. Most will never have any personal exposure to mass violence of any sort but that does not mean everyone should not be prepared The truth is it can happen anywhere at any time. No one is immune.

Sheridan Rotarians recently had Sergeant Bill Clifford of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department as their guest speaker. As one of his duties, Clifford helps train his fellow officers and others on how to respond to the threat of an active shooter in a community environment. Using a series of visual displays and hands-on demonstrations, Clifford explained the current “Run-Seek-Hide” strategy for personal survival in active shooter situations.

While situational awareness is perhaps the best survival technique, sometimes events spiral out of control and dire situations arise wherein life or death decisions must be quickly made and put into action. As Sergeant Clifford explained, it is better that we be prepared with forethought and planning than be caught uninformed and vulnerable in the rare event we be caught up in one of these active shooter situations. As recent history has shown, even small communities like Sheridan are not immune.

The Sheridan Rotarians are an active group of women and men from the surrounding community who meet together at 6:15 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday evenings for a formal program with a guest speaker and a meal. The remaining Tuesday evenings of the month are reserved for various community projects. If you are interested in attending a meeting please contact any club member or contact Steve Martin at the Sheridan Public Library.