By Steve Browne
Valley City Times-Record

Representatives from Valley City State University and the Valley City police department held a campus meeting Tuesday at Vangstad Auditorium to familiarize the public with procedures to follow in an active shooter emergency.
    The mood was somber in light of reported incidents involving individuals with guns at North Dakota State University and  Ferrum College in Virginia that morning.
    David Klein, VCSU safety officer, said, “There are only a few ways we can plan for this situation and one way is to pass on information.”
    Klein asked the audience to remember the acronym RACE, which stands for Receive, Alert, Confine, Evacuate.
    He said: When you Receive notice of a situation, Alert others, in the area.
    Confine means to lock yourself in a room and barricade it if you can. If there is no other alternative, hide behind a desk or chair. In an immediate emergency, use anything, such as a book bag as a shield.
    Evacuate, get out of the area as soon as possible. Prepare for this by familiarizing yourself with all the exits on campus.
    Valley City Police Chief Dean Ross said that if you see or hear shots fired, report to the police and be specific. Tell the police what is happening and where, as precisely as you can.

For more on this story, see Wednesday's edition of the Valley City Times-Record.