THE most dangerous moment in a violent attack is often the first few seconds — when fear takes over and people do not know what to do.
National Capital Region Police Office officer-in-charge PBGen. Christopher Abrahano wants to change that.
His push for ALICE — Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate — is not simply about teaching an acronym. It is about preparing ordinary people to make critical decisions when seconds matter and help may not yet be there.
Abrahano’s message is straightforward: ALICE is not a rigid sequence. It is a set of options shaped by the situation.
If there is a safe way out, evacuate. If escape is dangerous, lockdown and create distance and barriers. If possible, inform authorities quickly and accurately.
Counter, meanwhile, must be understood correctly. It is a last resort when danger is immediate and unavoidable — not a command to confront an attacker when safer alternatives exist.
That distinction could save lives.
For Abrahano, preparedness should not end with posters, seminars or memorizing five words.
Schools, government offices, malls and other public places must help people understand where exits are, identify safer areas and know how to summon police or emergency responders.
Because during an actual attack, nobody will have time to read instructions.
They will have to act.
And that is where Abrahano’s ALICE initiative becomes more than a police safety campaign. It puts a premium on preparedness, awareness and sound judgment before panic takes control.
The objective is not to create heroes who rush toward danger. It is to create people who know how to survive it.
Five words may sound simple. But when lives hang in the balance, Abrahano believes knowing those five words — and knowing when to use them — could make all the difference.
