Wheeling, WV (WTRF)- It’s a problem that’s been kept under the rug in the era of COVID: mass shootings. But if you’re fully prepared, you could save yourself and someone else’s life if you’re in a situation that suddenly turns violent.

As the problem of shootings still exists, places like the Higher Hills Children’s Center step up. Every staff member is fully trained: from barricading a classroom to defending themselves. Behind the training itself is The Institute for Childhood Preparedness.

“Our motto is ‘be prepared. Don’t be scared’. What we’re trying not to do is make people paranoid about this today but for them to be aware of what’s happening in the country.”

Ron Roszak, lead instructor of the Institute for Childhood Preparedness

After facing a surge in mass shootings this year, the Institute for Childhood Preparedness isn’t backing down.

“Frustrations are at an all time high in the country… whether it be Covid related or any other.”

Ron Roszak, lead instructor of the institute for Childhood preparedness

Which lead instructor with the Institute for Childhood Preparedness Ron Roszak says can go hand-in-hand with violence our country has faced.

In 2021 so far, the instutute says there’s been 275 mass shooting: 40% more than this time a year ago. That’s a big jump from 2020: a year considered to be the deadliest year based off gun violence in the last two decades.

“We don’t want safety to fall in the background.”

Ron Roszak, lead instructor of the institute for childhood preparedness

But, by tackling this head-on, like Higher Hills Children’s Center, Roszak says that could save lives if a situation ever turns violent. All it takes is training… something that every staff member here is going through… training that’s part classroom and lecture style, part hands-on.

“We’ll actually go in the classrooms they’re working in every day with the same furniture that’s in here every day and will practice their response, whether they’re going to run, hide, or barricade with the kids.”

Ron Roszak, lead instructor of the institute for childhood preparedness

Roszak also teaches them how to deal with a worse case scenario. That is if they have to defend themselves, along with other life-saving tips that could even help them in situations outside of just the classroom.

“They’ll learn how to do things, while working at the facility but also can take this with them the next time they go to a restaurant, a movie theater, or a mall that they can use to protect themself.”

Ron Roszak, lead instructor of the institute for childhood preparedness

If you’d like to learn more about this and prepare yourself, just go to www.ChildhoodPreparedness.org.