When it became apparent that TU/e staff were in need of information on the topic of school shootings, the Safety & Security department invited Irishman Noel Whelan to share his professional knowledge. A year ago the security team held a large-scale exercise based on the scenario of an attack on a university. The need for information was signaled in the ensuing evaluation.

Noel Whelan is a specialist in terrorism and security, and his heart-felt story is dotted with his own experiences. “Imagine that a child is sent by his mother on an errand. He is waiting in line in the shop when suddenly a man appears and aims a shotgun at the young female store assistant. She starts screaming and the robber starts shaking. He has lost control of the situation and in an effort to regain it, he grabs the nine-year-old boy by the neck. I was that little boy. I can still feel the cold steel of the weapon against my head. Ever since then, I have been occupied with this subject.”

His story is more akin to a show than a lesson. He asks questions: “Where could a terrorist cause the most casualties? What does he - or she - need to carry out an attack? Why don't you people at this technology university come up with a simple way to lock swing doors?”

To the question of how a school shooting can be prevented, he has no answer. “It simply isn't possible, you would have to keep an eye on everyone, all the time. But I do ask you to be alert. Look around you, don't have your nose in Facebook. Notice things that are out of the ordinary.”

The Irishman, who now lives on Malta, talks about “the Holy Father protection”. In other words, praying it will be alright, and says it doesn't work. Instead what you must do if you are in a building where a shooter is active is this: “Turn off your cell phone at once. Barricade the door with heavy furniture. If you can, get as far away as possible. Do not come back. And if you go out of the building, hold your hands up above your head so the police can see you are not the enemy.”

For the past twenty-five years his aim has been to get his audiences thinking. In the break it is evident that he is succeeding. Denis Gerritsen, a staff member of the Information Expertise Center and member of the in-house emergency service, is no exception. “It is instructive. I am now more aware that I need to be observing. And that when we evacuate a building during a shooting incident, we must not gather people together in one spot.” This is because Whelan has just explained that this only helps any terrorist aiming to maximize the number of casualties.

Anyone who is interested can come and listen to Whelan on Thursday November 3 and Wednesday November 9, from 13.30 to 16.30 hours in the Auditorium's Blauwe Zaal.