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Defending a home, school or business during a violent attack can be difficult in the moment of panic, but Owen Community College hopes to prepare community members for these situations through "Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate" training classes.

A.L.I.C.E. is a rapid-response training program that is designed to educate organizations on how to proactively respond to a violent attack on a large number of people. The program was created by Response Options in Burleson, Texas, with the overall mission of reducing the likelihood of individuals involved in an active shooting becoming a casualty.

Owens' Toledo campus will offer A.L.I.C.E. training on Wednesday, March 28 from 9-11 a.m., 1-3 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. each day at the Center for Emergency Preparedness. A.L.I.C.E. training on the Findlay campus will occur on Wednesday, April 4 from 9-11 a.m., 1-3 p.m. and 5-7 p.m.

"Owens Community College is proud to offer an innovative training program which builds upon traditional response protocol for individuals in a hostile intruder scenario," said John Betori, Owens Director of Public Safety. "Seconds are crucial in a life-threatening situation and A.L.I.C.E. training provides strategies for victims to increase their odds of survival. I encourage area residents to take advantage of the free emergency preparedness seminars and the opportunity to enhance their knowledge, skills and preparation related to unforeseen emergency situations."

During the two-hour training sessions, Owens public safety staff will highlight various strategies and techniques which enhance the traditional response "lockdown" protocol for individuals in a hostile intruder scenario. Attendees will receive experiential training related to becoming better aware of potential threats within an organization, as well as strategies and techniques to counter, confound, confuse and defeat an active shooter.

Such measures enable victims to take a proactive approach in a hostile situation and get inside an attacker's decision cycle by confronting the individual through "organized chaos" tactics. 

For more information, or to register for a training session, call (567) 661-7977 or 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7977.