The most dangerous and unpredictable threat in the modern world is an active shooter event. From the United States to Africa to New Zealand, criminals have come into public places like schools and places of worship and ended the lives of defenseless innocent people.
If you’re in the market for a security team, you need to make sure that they are up to date on their active shooter preparedness. In this article, we’ll take a look at why it’s so important to have a security team that has training in active shooter preparedness.
Active Shooter Preparedness: What Is It?
Active shooter preparedness is the protocols and actions taken by security teams during an active shooter event.
These protocols and actions are about how to keep staff safe once the event starts, evacuating the staff, and delaying or eliminating the threat. While that sounds simple enough, it requires in-depth knowledge to keep a cool head and save lives during an active shooter situation.
It involves locking down areas of the building or area, using pre-planned escape routes, keeping staff in a secure area, and much more. The goal of active shooter preparedness is simple: save lives by any means necessary.
But having the right protocols is one piece of the puzzle. There plenty of reasons why having a security team trained in active shooter preparedness are so important, especially in the D.C. area.
Mass Shootings Are Chaotic
Mass shootings are so deadly because they can happen anywhere, at any time. This is especially true in the D.C. area, which is full of landmarks and public gathering places. With large numbers of people present at the public places during these shootings, it can create chaos. With people running around, trying to care for the wounded, and creating bottlenecks, it only makes things easy for the shooter.
The chaos during a mass shooting can mean more lives lost and can make you and other victims even more helpless during the event. A security team trained to handle an active shooter will know how to calm everyone down and guide them to safety to a secure area or away from the shooter.
This will mean fewer lives lost in case of an active shooter event. This type of training will give you and your staff more confidence because you will know that someone is there to guide you.
A Lack of Training Can Be Deadly
The precious seconds after an active shooter event starts can be the difference between life and death. A decision to stay put or run, fight or hide, could mean disaster or salvation. During the chaos of a mass shooting, it’s difficult to make the right decision or even to know what options you have.
With an armed security team that has active shooter training, you’ll have a safe place to go and the benefit of a team who will have prepared you for this type of event. By sharing their knowledge with you about active shooter situations, you’ll know what to do and what not to do if something were to happen.
The same goes for your security team; if they aren’t trained, they are at as much risk as you are, and may even put you at higher risk. During the chaos of mass shootings, your team might need to take out the threat; but they are in a mass of people, all who might be a potential shooter. With active shooter preparedness training, you can be sure that your security team can take out the target without further harm to anyone.
Faster Response Means Fewer Casualties
A team that has active shooter training will respond and make snap decisions during a very traumatic and terrifying event. Quick decisions to evacuate people or take out the threat are decisions that save lives. A team that doesn’t have the right training might make a bad decision or might shoot an innocent person by mistake.
Having a team on site, ready to act, with a plan in place in case of an active shooter will save countless lives. Getting into action with an effective plan will avoid more casualties and save lives, and active shooter preparedness guarantees the plan and your team will be ready.
The Number 1 Goal…
At the end of the day, the reason you need a security team with active shooter preparedness training is so you can save lives. You can save lives in a mass shooting by keeping people alive or eliminating the threat. And the ugly truth is that if an active shooter is successful, people will need treatment until help arrives.
This, in part, is one of the biggest reasons to have a security team with active shooter training. Teams with this training will not only stop the threat and save lives that way, but they will also know how to care for the wounded in the event of injuries.
By learning mass casualty event medical training, these teams can provide emergency medical care on the scene that can save lives. The first hour after someone gets injured is the most important when it comes to trauma care, and having a team who can provide that care will save lives.
Para Bellum
If you want to stay on top of your active shooter preparedness, you need to follow the old saying, “If you want peace, prepare for war.” A good security team is a priceless thing and can be the difference between a near miss and a disaster.
Make sure your team has training in active shooter situations and that way you’re prepared for anything the world throws your way. If you have any questions about active shooter preparedness or security needs, please visit our site.