Everything Nac

Contact: C. Wayne Mitchell,
President / CEO, 936-560-5533

Discussing correct responses in an active shooter situation is not enjoyable. However, given recent incidents across the country and in our great state, makes it a topic that cannot be ignored.

The responsibility stretches throughout a community to learn the best action plans to protect human life in a possible “what if” encounter. To educate the public, the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office and the Nacogdoches City Police Department will present an Active Shooter Forum in cooperation with the Nacogdoches Economic Development Corp. and the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce.

State Representative Travis Clardy will address the audience near the beginning of the program.

“We are all wondering how we would respond if ever confronted by such a situation,” Clardy said. “While we want to believe we would respond bravely and appropriately, there is no substitute for being prepared. The Active Shooters Forum is a forward-thinking effort to arm business owners and the general public with lifesaving practices and responses based on experience and sound research.”

Other components of the forum include a Law Enforcement Roundtable Discussion, a Threat Assessment presentation, Stop the Bleed program overview, and a presentation covering Standard Response Protocol and Standard Response Operations for businesses.

The participating speakers are experts in their fields, who will bring years of experience and cutting-edge expertise to different aspects of emergency response. Confirmed speakers include FBI Agent Jeff Anderson, Associate Director School Safety Readiness at the Texas School Safety Center Jeff Caldwell, Nacogdoches Police Department officer and SWAT Commander Bill Kennedy, Certified Protection Professional Robert Hurst and Chris Klingenberg, M.D.

Attorney Paul Robbins, Texas School Safety Center chairman of the board and East Texas Peace Officers Association past president, explained that “the average person needs to know how schools and law enforcement are going to react to an active shooter. Knowledge, in this context, is the power to respond to a threat.”
Breakouts for specific interests will offer opportunities for deeper discussions and question and answer sessions, and resource tables will have takeaway information available.

The Active Shooter Forum is from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 5 at the Nacogdoches County Exposition & Civic Center. The forum is free of charge, but registration is requested. Register online at www.Nacogdoches.org or call the Nacogdoches County Chamber for reservations, 936-560-5533.