WKU’s active shooting video finished

Marcel Mayo

With universities across the nation becoming more aware of the need for procedures for active shootings on campuses, WKU joins the list of institutions with explanatory videos on the subject.

The video was produced after the Faculty Welfare and Professional Responsibilities Committee for the University Senate decided to gather data on Kentucky university policies and benchmark programs. The Herald previously reported on the senate report from Oct. 15 in which the committee looked at the best methods for involving the entire campus community.

“These types of programs work best when all members of the university are in the conversation,” Patricia Minter, chairwoman of the committee, told reporters in the fall. “This includes students, faculty and staff members.”

Nashville senior Lena Talbot, a student worker at WKU’s PBS station, is one of the students Minter mentioned as being essential to the conversation. Talbot said it was a learning experience for her to be a part of the active shooter training video, which was shot primarily in Mass Media and Technology Hall.

“The purpose of the video was to showcase what universities can do in case of an active shooter on campus,” Talbot said. “The video shows students how they can be aware of a plan in action.”

PBS staff participated in the filming of the video as well as rounding out the cast of the project. The shooter depicted in the video was also a PBS employee.

The brief video will be released on WKU’s website by the end of February for students to access and learn from. Talbot said just being in the video provided its own lessons.

“I learned that things can happen out of nowhere, and you have to be calm in situations that are scary like that,” Talbot said.