ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A manhunt is still underway after a mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine that is so far the deadliest shooting in the U.S. in 2023.

While no one wants to think a tragedy like this could happen to them, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office says they are always planning for it. They also provide training on what to do in an active shooter situation.

Run, hide, and fight is the advice from Monroe County deputies. We all know what those words mean on paper, but what does it look like in practice?

Whether you’re at a concert or at your desk, Sergeant Ryan Buttles says you need to be prepared. Pay attention to the layout and be sure to notice the exits.

If you suspect a shooter or any kind of violence, the first step is to run with purpose. Make sure you’re not running toward the danger. If you can’t get out, hide. Barricade doors and cover up windows.

Lastly, Buttles says you need to be prepared to fight using anything from a stapler to a laptop. While it can be frightening to think about, Buttles says tragedies like what happened in Maine prove how necessary it is.

“With large scale events, there’s always the ultimate concern of the threat of someone coming to the event, looking to disrupt he event in some way or form, worst case scenario of an active shooter type incident,” Buttles said. “The most important thing is being aware and educating yourselves. It’s not a topic that people really want to discuss and talk about but unfortunately, in today’s society, we have to be aware and we have to educate ourselves as much as we can. You don’t want the first time you think about it to be when it’s actually happening.”

While thinking about run hide fight is a start, the folks at MCSO stressed practicing these plans in an office or school is just as important.

You can see the MCSO training video here. You can also schedule a training by calling MCSO at 585-753-4178 or emailing Sergeant Buttles at ryanbuttles [@] monroecounty.gov.