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Preparing for the Worst: Pelham PD offers training on how to survive mass-shooting

PELHAM, N.H. — After the most recent mass-shooting that took place in Parkland, Florida, last month, many people are concerned about what would happen in an active shooter situation.

Now there’s free training taking place in New Hampshire to help people prepare for the worst.

The training will be taking place at Chunky’s, a local movie theater, at 8 a.m., and local authorities are expecting a packed house.

Pelham police have been conducting the trainings since 2016, but many people have become interested after what took place in Parkland.

Boston 25 News spoke with Sgt. Matt Keenliside, of the Pelham Police Department. He’s one of the officers taking part in the training.

He said after the Parkland shooting, many people are coming to the training sessions that his department holds.

He’s already done the training with all of the school district, town employees and workers at the theater.

The two-hour session focuses on the plan for surviving an active shooter event.

The technique he teaches is – avoid, deny, defend.

He said the best thing you can do to avoid an attacker, if it’s not possible, deny the attacker entry by barricading a door, and if that fails, the last step is to defend.

“I think some people have the mindset of where they’ve been told lockdown in the past and they’re almost thinking they’re not supposed to fight back and things like that,” Keenliside said. “So, we’ve had people come up to us and say, ‘Wow. I’ve never thought of it like that.’ Or, ‘I never thought of breaking a window to get out if that was an option for me.’ “So people’s mind have opened up a bit in that sense.”

One other piece of advice Keenliside is telling people is to always know where the exits are when you’re in a theater or public setting.