Pasco students to train for active shooter situations

NEW PORT RICHEY (FOX 13) - Pasco County students will soon learn a new way to respond to an active shooter situation. 

"It's unfortunate, but in our society, we have to be prepared," said Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco. "Something will happen again." 

Lockdowns, where classmates would huddle together in a dark room, will not always be the best policy anymore, especially when it comes to an active shooter.  

It's now about the ABCs. 

'A' stands for alert or avoid, like students running away. 

'B' means barricade, students and teachers can do this by piling up desks against the door. 

'C' stands for counter. Students can counter-act a threat by throwing something at the person.

"This new training is a new way of thinking," explained Pasco County superintendent Kurt Browning. "It'll be different than what we're used to. It's all designed to increase the odds of survival if the unthinkable actually happens in Pasco schools." 

Teachers and staff will first go through an online training course. When students return to class for the upcoming school year, they too will learn this new set of ABCs. 

"We have for the very young students a 'Stranger Danger' animated video that we created," said Pasco schools spokesperson Linda Cobbe. 

In a video that features a friendly lion, elementary school students will see how they should react to an active threat. 

"I'd rather them be prepared to know what happens and to save their life than after a horrific incident, I wished I would have taught them," said Nocco. 

Law enforcement will also carry out drills during school hours. Parents and students will be notified first, so it doesn't cause unnecessary panic.

"As a parent, I can understand the parent sitting at home right now learning about this and going, 'I wish we we wouldn't have to do this,'" explained Nocco. "But this is the society we live in."