“Saving Students’ Lives”: Instructor Sharing of Run-Hide-Fight® Emergency Preparedness Materials

When emergency situations occur, it is essential that individuals can effectively respond to keep themselves and others safe. One attempt at increasing individuals’ readiness for an emergency is the Run-Hide-Fight® campaign, which has been adopted by several higher education institutions in the United States. This study explores the dissemination of this campaign by instructors at a large Midwestern university in the United States. We generally find support for the reasoned action perspective, with attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control influencing intentions to share the emergency preparedness video with students. Through open-ended responses provided by the instructors, we identify four main themes surrounding video dissemination. First, most instructors felt comfortable sharing the video, believing it would be useful in preparing students for an emergency. Second, some instructors voiced concerns about the negative emotional effects the video may have on students. Third, instructors generally appreciated the brief and effective delivery of the message, though some were concerned about dramatizing emergencies. Finally, instructors suggested ways of improving the video, such as including more specific guidance on how to behave in an emergency situation. Practically, these findings suggest that universities should consider their emergency preparedness information dissemination strategy to maximize credibility, minimize message fatigue, and reach more students. Theoretically, this study affirms the tenets of reasoned action and suggests alternative theoretical approaches for future scholarship.