Aggressor/Bomb Threat

What to do when an imminent threat to life is encountered on campus.

The information below describes essential procedures and guidelines for responding to aggressor or bomb threat situations.  Understanding and preparing for these emergencies is crucial for ensuring your safety and the safety of others around you.  Here, you will find resources and actionable steps to take if you ever encounter such critical scenarios.  Familiarize yourself with these protocols to help maintain safety during these potentially life-threatening events.

Aggressor: Avoid. Deny. Defend.

If you are in a situation where an aggressor threatens injury, harm, or the lives or yourself or the people around you, remember: AVOID-DENY-DEFEND. These types of incidents are unpredictable. The following guidelines are based on past experiences. You may have to alter some of these suggestions, depending on the situation. 

AVOID | DENY | DEFEND

During an act of violence (robbery, hostage situation, workplace violence, aggressor, etc.):

AVOID starts with your state of mind. 

  • Pay attention to your surroundings 
  • Have an exit plan 
  • Move away from the source of the threat as quickly as possible 
  • The more distance and barriers between you and the threat, the better 

DENY when getting away is difficult or maybe even impossible. 

  • Keep distance between you and the source 
  • Create barriers to prevent or slow down a threat from getting to you 
  • Turn the lights off and silence your phone 
  • Remain out of sight and quiet by hiding behind large objects 

DEFEND because you have the right to protect yourself. 

  • If you cannot AVOID or DENY, be prepared to DEFEND yourself 
  • Be aggressive and committed to your actions 
  • Do not fight fairly. THIS IS ABOUT SURVIVAL. 
Call 911 when you are in a safe area. 
When Law Enforcement arrives, show your hands and follow commands.

Bomb Threat: Stay Calm and Follow Instructions.

The following video has been provided to educate you and make you aware of possible actions to take should a bomb threat occur on campus. This video was produced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), National Protection and Programs Directorate’s (NPPD) Office of Infrastructure Protection, and the University of Central Florida, in collaboration with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).

This video provides you with some key steps to follow should you find yourself in a crisis situation similar to the one portrayed. Please take the time to view this video as it is only four minutes long but provides some valuable material. You can visit the Department of Homeland Security's website directly, here or download and print the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Bomb Threat Checklist used in this video, here.