Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
intended to afford some degree of protection to the release of the data collected
before the production of the formal AAR. The emergency manager should follow
the procedures and protocols provided by law and legal counsel guidance.
Personal Actions When Confronting an Active Shooter
The DHS has compiled a set of recommendations or good practices to follow in the
event an individual is confronted with an active shooter scenario.
BOX 13.1 GOOD PRACTICES FOR COPING
WITH AN ACTIVE SHOOTER SITUATION
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Be aware of your environment and any possible dangers.
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Take note of the two nearest exits in any facility you visit.
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If you are in an office, stay there and secure the door.
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If you are in a hallway, get into a room and secure the door.
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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.
◾
CALL 911 WHEN IT IS SAFE TO DO SO!
Source: “Active Shooter: How to Respond,” U.S. Department of Homeland
Security, 2008.
Summary
The emergency manager should play an essential role in the jurisdiction or organi-
zation's preparedness, preattack active shooter attack efforts. These activities
include planning, training, and exercises. In the response and recovery phases of
an active shooter attack, the emergency manager will play an important support-
ive and coordinating role including the alerting/emergency messaging and risk
communications actions, resource supply coordination, and AAR responsibilities.
Although a great deal has been written about active shooter incidents, most have
either been descriptive of actual incidents or focused on law enforcement response
actions. With the number of active shooter incidents seeming to increase over the
past few years, the DHS determined the need to publish concise guidelines regard-
ing recommended facility and jurisdictional preparedness efforts as well as indi-
vidual “best practices” in the event the person is confronted with an active shooter.
There have been many papers written about specific active shooter attacks with
