Recent shootings, like the ones seen on the campuses of Brown University and Old Dominion University, remind students of the underlying concern of safety on their college campus. Several Bowling Green State University (BGSU) students told BG Falcon Media they felt unprepared if a shooting or similar incident took place on campus.

“I don’t know,” said Sophie Smith, a senior environmental science major, when asked what she would do in the case of an emergency. “I guess whatever just happens in the moment. I guess whatever like my fight or flight tells me to do.”

The idea of acting in the moment with no preparation was repeated by all students interviewed..

“It’d just be what I felt in the moment,” said Ava Fox, a freshman criminal justice major. “I don’t have it pre-thought out. It’s like what you would do… in the moment.”

Tilmon Brown, a junior social work major, said at first he felt like he would know what to do because his grandfather was a police officer and told him to always be prepared for a crisis. But when asked about specifics, Brown admitted he was not prepared.

“I mean as far as precautions go, it’s really just exits. Staying clear from gunfire or whatever,” Brown said.

BGSU Police Deputy Chief Jon Luidhardt said BGSU employs the “Run. Hide. Fight.” method of in the event of an active shooter on campus.

“Your safest place during an emergency is away from the area,” Luidhardt said while explaining the method. “The second thing they should do, if they can’t run, which is not always possible, is to look for a place to hide, look for a place to lock a door, set up a barricade, create some type of barrier to give some time. And then the last thing they should do is to fight, but sometimes fight might be the only option.”

For students who feel unprepared for an active shooter situation, BGSU Police offers in-person training sessions, which can be requested on their website.

“Whether it’s in a dormitory, whether it’s in a classroom setting, whether it’s a group, a sorority, fraternity is that… we’re here 24/7,” Luidhardt said. “We can accommodate really any type of training. Times or blocks to get that education out there.”

Luidhardt recommends students take on of these training sessions to be prepared in the event of an active shooter emergency.

As Brown said his grandfather told him, “you never know when a crisis were to happen, until it happens.”