In the aftermath of the Orlando Shooting, Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station officials and a child psychologist discussed how residents should prepare for and talk about an active shooter situation.

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The night-club shooting, in which a gunman opened fire and killed at least 50, wounding dozens more, in the latest in a series of events that happen often enough that people should prepare and be aware of what to do in the event of an active shooter incident in the Santa Clarita Valley.

One of the best things you can do to survive an active shooter situation is to prepare as much as possible ahead of time.

For example, if you’re going to an amusement park or a place where a large crowd is gathering, identify where the exits are as soon as you get there, the deputies said.

“Unfortunately, the way society is these days, you have to prepare yourself everywhere you go,” said Deputy Wilkinson. “Have an idea where exits are at restaurants and businesses you go to, and think about those things when you go to amusement parks. You need to be aware of your surroundings and escape plans. Always think, ‘If something was happening right now, right near me, what would be my escape plan at the time for my family?’”

(Click here to listen to the KHTS AM-1220 podcast “SCV Sheriff Talk” on June 16, when Sheriff’s Station officials and a child psychologist discussed how to prepare for an active shooter situation, as well as how to discuss media coverage with children.)

The reason why deputies tell people to identify the exits ahead of time is because seconds matter, said Shirley Miller, press information officer for the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station and co-host of “SCV Sheriff Talk” (a twice-monthly show on KHTS AM-1220 that discusses public safety and station outreach).

“Those first five seconds when an active shooter walks into a building, those are the most crucial,” she said. “And if you just freeze, because you don’t know what to do, you’re losing precious time.”

The basic instructions include three survival steps — run, hide and fight, according to Sheriff’s Station officials. The immediate reaction to an active shooter should be to run, Wilkinson said.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has conducted drills in the Santa Clarita Valley to prepare for an active shooter type of situation, including at the Westfield Valencia Town Center and Six Flags Magic Mountain.

Law enforcement officials also consult with schools on their emergency plans, said Deputy Romo, who a school resource deputy for Valencia High and Rio Norte Junior High has specialized training to respond to such an incident.

Every school in the Santa Clarita Valley has a safety plan for such an incident, he said, adding that deputies train on school campuses during the summer months to familiarize themselves with the layout of school grounds.

As far as talking to children, the nature of the conversation will depend a lot on the child but Dr. Janet Stier, who heads up the early childhood mental health consultation program at the Child and Family Center, offered a few guidelines. Stier also constructs with local school districts, as well, regarding counseling services.

For children, parents should try to have a developmentally appropriate discussion, meaning the way it’s addressed with a 4- or 5-year-old, should be different than with teenage children, she said.

“Preschoolers don’t really need to know, so if we can shelter them from the media (coverage of these incidents), that’s probably best,” Stier said. “If they ask questions, though, we want to make sure that they’re feeling welcome to talk and express any emotions they have or any questions they have.

“Preschoolers can come up with some pretty goofy questions, but it’s important to stay on their level, and answer questions as to what they may have seen on TV,” she said, “even if we didn’t want them to see it on TV.”

Here’s a video created by the Sheriff’s Department regarding safety in an active shooter situation.

The phone number to contact the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station is 661-255-1121. To contact the Santa Clarita Valley Child and Family Center, call 661-259-9439.