How to respond to an active shooting incident - Safety training & Strategies

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How to respond to an active shooting incident -
Safety training Strategies
We know that workplace violence is a possibility
and not a probability. Time is a crucial
component of our approach to preparing for active
shooting situations. The victims are left alone
during the brief period of time between the start
of a workplace violence incident and the arrival
of the first responders. People ought to have the
freedom to choose actions that will increase
their capacity for survival.   A situation
involving an active shooter can occur at anytime,
anywhere. The best strategies to ensure the
safety of you and your colleagues are to plan
ahead and be prepared. When every second matters,
taking a few steps now and mentally practicing
what to do through strategic safety training in
the workplace might help you react swiftly.
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What is an Active Shooter?   The U.S. Department
of Homeland Security defines Active shooter as  "
An Active Shooter is an individual actively
engaged in killing or attempting to kill people
in a confined and populated area in most cases,
active shooters use firearms(s), and there is no
pattern or method to their selection of victims.
"   What to do when active shooter situation
Occurs   The Department of Homeland Security's
Run Hide Fight campaign and accompanying film has
become the most well-known response strategy for
active shooter situations. We are grateful for
the reach that messaging has achieved. However,
we feel that their strategy has flaws, so we
advocate ABC or Avoid, Barricade and
Confront.   DHS backs the "RUN" strategy! Running
is an act of panic. We aim to implant in our
guests the idea that during an active shooting,
it is not advised to panic but rather to act
rationally in light of the information at hand.
We need to know what they are doing (killing
people) and where they are in order to AVOID the
person(s) involved in a violent act. Once we are
aware of these facts, we can make tactical
decisions that will save our lives as well as
possibly that of others rather than fleeing.
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DHS advises "HIDE" if you are unable to "AVOID
the threat," which means that it is too close for
you to be able to run away and do so. We favor
the idea of a BARRICADE. The act of hiding is
passive. In an effort to prevent the violent
actor from finding them, victims hide. The
hide-and-seek game is quite risky. Utilizing a
previously known, secure location or rapidly
identifying one that can be guarded is our
preferred strategy. As previous incidents have
repeatedly demonstrated, the perpetrator of an
active shooting incident will travel aimlessly in
search of victims and move on to easier targets
when they come across a closed or otherwise
barred door.
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We utilize the terms CONFRONT or COMBAT, and in
doing so, we completely concur with DHS's use of
the phrase "FIGHT" or any other term that conveys
to participants that this is the only remaining
option. AVOID is by far the ideal alternative,
and BARRICADE comes as a close second
alternative, but if the first two are not
available and a possible victim is out in the
open with no way to AVOID or BARRICADE, then
brutal and uncontrolled COMBAT is the last
option.   To learn more about active shooter
protocols and to equip your organizations through
our safety training seminars, contact us
at  info_at_alifesaved.com or call us at
?1-800-931-2758
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Thank You
A life Saved provides safety training sessions to
prepare you to respond in a situation of any kind
of violent event. Our training programs teach how
to respond to an act of violence and the
aftermath. Website www.alifesaved.com Contact
1-800-931-2758 info_at_alifesaved.com