Fortunately, it is very difficult to acquire a handgun in Hungary and therefore the chance to find oneself in an “active shooter situation” is highly unlikely.
Who is an active shooter? An active shooter is actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area. The situations evolve quickly and can be over within 10-15 minutes, therefore it is important to be relatively prepared to act quickly to protect yourself.
GET OUT, HIDE, TELL
GET OUT/RUN: Getting out is the best option if you can escape safely. If you hear something that could be gunshots, don’t wait: get out!
- Make the decision quickly and think of the direction before you move.
- Evacuate regardless of whether others follow or not.
- Do not bunch together, large groups are easier targets.
- Leave your belongings behind.
- Help others with disabilities escape, if possible.
- Close any doors behind you.
- Do not run across open spaces.
- Follow instructions that the Police or Security gives you.
HIDE if you don’t know exactly where the shooting is happening or it’s too late to escape safely:
- Get behind a lockable door if you can.
- Barricade the door, close and lock windows, lower the blinds.
- Silence your phone, turn off the lights and stay quiet.
- Try not to panic and wait until you have clear instructions from the Police to move.
TELL/COMMUNICATE:
- Provide as much detail about the targeted place and the intruder as possible.
- Follow instructions of the 112 Operator or Security.
- Do not leave the room unless advised to do so by the Police.
Officers will evacuate you when it is safe to do so! They may:
- Point guns at you
- Treat you firmly
- Question you
- Be unable to distinguish you from the attacker
How to identify a person at risk?
There is no way to accurately predict who can become an active shooter, but there are behaviours that can indicate the potential risk. Recognise the signs of behavioural changes, social/emotional/mental problems.
If someone is committing or about to commit violence, call 112, and the Campus Security personnel!
If you are worried about something you observe, contact the UP Security Department at pte.security@pte.hu or call +36304001800 (accessable via FB Messenger, Viber, What’sApp, etc.).
What to do with suspicious items?
- Do not touch!
- Try to find the owner in the area.
- If you still think it’s suspicious, move away to a safe distance, report it to security staff, or dial 112.
