An "active shooter" situation describes an attacker with the intent to shoot indiscriminately at unprotected public "soft targets" until law enforcement or bystanders stop them. Though mass shootings of this nature are all too common in the U.S., the chances you or your workplace will be involved in one are quite small.
But preparedness saves lives, which is why we spend the time to carefully outline the best practices learned from past tragic events to minimize the damage.
Good practices for coping with an active shooter situation from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (PDF with this and more info included on this post.):
- Call 911 when it is safe to do so
- Set your cell phone to silent; notifications can give your position away to the shooter
- Be aware of your environment and any possible dangers
- Take note of the two nearest exits in any facility you visit
- If you are in an office, stay there and secure the door
- If you are in a hallway, get into a room and secure the door
- As a last resort, attempt to take the active shooter down.
- When the shooter is at close range and you cannot flee, your chance of survival is much greater if you try to incapacitate him/her.
At SkillsetGroup, we conduct routine active shooter readiness training both internally for our recruiters and sales executives and also for our clients. Learn more by calling our safety office at 866-607-3148 or emailing jarredondo@SkillsetGroup.com
REFERENCES
Still images in video are courtesy of the U.S. Department of Defense and depict active shooter training drills conducted by the military throughout the US.
"Active Shooter: How to Respond"
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
