Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
the significantly increased focus on terrorism, emergency managers have also been
encouraged to adopt a much more comprehensive approach to preparedness plan-
ning, one that is inclusive of “all hazards.” With this concept in mind, this chapter
will discuss certain planning and preparedness actions that should be considered by
the emergency manager in terms of a particular violent incident, the “active shooter
incident.” These include
◾
Planning
◾
Training
◾
Exercises
◾
Emergency alerts/messaging and risk communications
According to the DHS, “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 and there is no pattern or method to their selec-
tion of victims.”
1
Most discussions about active shooter situations focus on the
actual law enforcement response, whereas this chapter will explore this type of
incident from the perspective of the emergency manager. One of the key aspects
of the law enforcement response that the emergency manager should keep in mind
is that this type of incident typically involves what can generally be thought of as
an immediate action deployment in contrast with a typical tactical team or SWAT
response. Many, if not most, tactical responses involve a well-trained and well-
equipped team that will rapidly deploy, secure a perimeter, and will do everything
possible to ensure that all subsequent actions are planned, rehearsed (if possible), all
without firing a shot, if at all possible. The goal of the immediate action deployment
is to stop the killing—usually by the first officers on the scene. In many cases, entry
is made by the first two to five officers on the scene, depending on local protocols
and procedures. Most active shooter situations are operationally over within 10 to
15 minutes.
1
In many cases, it may well be that the response and entry phase of the
operations will be over before the emergency manager is notified.
An excellent report was recently published (2011) by the New York City Police
Department (NYPD), entitled “Active Shooter: Recommendations and Analysis
for Risk Mitigation” (NYPD Report).
3
This is perhaps one of the most compre-
hensive reports compiled on the topic, based on reviews of more than 280 active
shooter cases between 1966 and 2010 (worldwide). Several interesting and relevant
findings were presented:
◾
More than 98% of the active shooter incidents reviewed were carried out by
a single individual.
◾
Active shooters targeted people they knew as well as those with whom they
had no known prior relationship (22% of the cases). Figure 13.1 depicts this
set of findings.
◾
The locations of the attacks were identified as shown in Table 13.1.
