On April 20, 1999, two teens entered their high school in a suburb of Denver, and went on a shooting spree, killing 13 people, wounding 20 others and essentially shocking the nation. At the time, it was the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history. Sadly, there have been so many mass shootings since Columbine that there’s now a term for it: active shooter. And in a study conducted by the FBI in 2013, the United States averages 16.4 active shooter incidents per year. That’s almost one every three weeks.
With those types of statistics, it’s no wonder schools, businesses and organizations are taking steps to provide their staff with the knowledge and skills needed to handle such a situation.
As with other forms of crises, like fires and acts of nature, managers need to develop emergency plans and provide training. Unlike other emergency scenarios, an active shooter presents a much more unpredictable situation that requires a mix of thoughtful planning, well-communicated procedures, and repeated practice.
Active shooter training seminars, like the one SFM offers, provide valuable tools. Simulation exercises, instructional videos, evaluation of vulnerabilities, and education about safe places to shelter all help make employees more informed and better prepared.
Determining the best ways to train employees for such dynamic crises can seem a challenging and costly proposition. But circumstances seem to be proving doing nothing is no longer an option.