It is crucial for those presenting themselves as school security experts to provide accurate information. Unfortunately, some continue to spread falsehoods that have long been disproven.
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One such claim I encounter at security conferences is that the gunman responsible for the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting manually pulled the fire alarm to lure students out of their classrooms. This is incorrect.
Official investigations have confirmed the campus fire alarm was triggered by smoke from the gunfire and dust from the building damage caused by the rifle shots.
To be clear, early reports immediately following the tragedy did suggest the Parkland gunman manually activated the alarm. However, this was later corrected. The correction was covered by major news outlets, including The New York Times and NPR. Even my simple Google search of the phrase “Did the Parkland shooter pull the fire alarm” provided the correct answer.
You can read about all of the details of the attack at the official Report of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission.
Question the Credibility of ‘Experts’ Citing the Parkland Shooter Fire Alarm Myth and Other Misinformation
While it is understandable that someone outside the school safety community might be unaware of this clarification, it is inexcusable for a self-proclaimed “expert” to repeat this myth years after it was debunked.
I raise this issue because I recently attended a presentation where the speaker did just that. To me and the long-time experts in the audience, this significant error immediately called the presenter’s credibility into question, especially as they made other claims that were either factually incorrect or highly suspect.
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Anyone who has not taken the time to verify basic facts about the Parkland shooting should not be presenting themselves as a school security expert or an expert on school active shooter mitigation.
How to Evaluate Claims from School Safety and Security ‘Experts’
It is vital for schools in the process of purchasing security products and services to listen with a critical ear to anyone claiming expertise in school safety. Research their background. What’s their experience? What are their financial motivations? Are they promoting a solution that seems too good to be true or one that experienced professionals have raised serious concerns about? And most importantly, is what they are saying factually accurate?
Ultimately, safeguarding our schools begins with verifying facts and holding experts accountable for the accuracy of their claims.
