In our first blog, we spoke of what an EAP was and the responsibility you have to develop a strong working plan that meets your organization or facility’s needs and keeps you, your employees, customers, and visitors safe. A complete EAP also addresses a continuity plan for you to keep your business functioning after and/or during an emergency and address the active shooter event. We also asked the question of how or if your current security provider was (or was not) participating in or even capable of understanding your emergency action plan.
This second part of our blog will start by outlining an emergency action plan. It is only an outline of what you should be looking at when you develop your EAP. This outline is prepared only to assist you. It is not to be considered a panacea to answer every question you may have regarding every situation you may encounter. It does have an emphasis on “The Active Shooter.” However, as it is developed, it should allow you to customize your organization or facility with an EAP that meets all of your needs for natura disasters, continuity plans, and the active shooter.
The Active Shooter.
An effective response to an active shooter event requires effective planning, enroll reinforcement through training for personnel caught in the event, and leaders and managers coordinating the response to the event. Personnel in the vicinity of an active shooter may need to evacuate or shelter in place depending upon circumstances unique to that event. Organization leadership and managers coordinating the response to an active shooter event need to provide adequate direction to personnel in the active shooter’s vicinity, provide clear situation information to first responders and inform the public.
Your active shooter response section of your EAP should provide instructions and guidance to effectively address the response of your organization’s ability to an active shooter incident. Your active shooter response plan must provide guidance. You must develop and be able to implement procedures in response to an active shooter incident.
The active-shooter response plan should be prepared by upper management of your organization, such as your facility security safety director, branch manager, facility manager, emergency manager or managing director, or anyone responsible for the safety of the organization or facility. The document should be prepared in coordination and cooperation which several outside emergency response organizations such as the Police and Fire Departments, the Sheriff’s Department, Local Emergency Management, Director of Medical Emergency for your area, the State Highway Patrol, any state Bureau of Investigation, The FBI agency, BATF (Alcohol Tobacco and firearms) even the local area substance abuse console, the Federal Aviation Commission and any other Department or agency with the responsibility of investigating and/or responding to emergency action and/or protection of the general public.
Who is an Active Shooter?
An active shooter actively engages in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined or populated place. In most cases, active shooters use firearms, and there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims. Active shooter situations or unpredictable and evolve very quickly. Typically, law enforcement’s immediate deployment is required to stop the shooting and mitigate harm to victims. Because active shooter situations are often over within 10 to 15 minutes before law enforcement arrives on the scene, individuals must be prepared mentally and physically to deal with an active shooter situation.
Developing your plan. Where to start.
Your plan should start by providing an overview with policies and guidance documents applicable to your organization or facility. You should also send your plan to your local city and county agency handling such emergencies for their review and familiarization of your plan, facility, and organization.
Command Structure
When developing your EAP, list the local agencies’ command structure or response organizations and consider the jurisdiction and liability direction and controlling roles and responsibilities of key personnel of local, state, and federal systems and the roles of these people. Get to know and list key personnel in surrounding industries, key personnel in the private sector that can assist you and/or respond to the emergency. Get to know the key people in the local transportation structure and their roles and responsibilities. Then list them in your plan. Make them part of your plan. By listing and know all these agencies and key personnel your coordinated response and recovery will be more effective and save lives.
Pre-Incident Planning
Pre-incident planning of active shooter incidents often begins and quickly leaves facility management and security officers little to no time to coordinate response procedures with law enforcement and employees. Facility readiness requires that managers develop an exercise response plan that applies general preparedness and response protocols to specific emergencies and facility capabilities (including security resources). Training and exercising the plan is key for security and facility managers. Their participation in active shooter (and/or other emergencies) exercises allows them to identify gaps, correct weaknesses, and invalidate their plans.
What is a response plan and procedures?
To develop such a plan, you must implement a comprehensive emergency action plan that includes incidents beyond an environmental emergency (such as active shooter or even suspicious package). Start by;
- Review and update the facility’s Emergency Action Plan with assistance from law enforcement and emergency responders or create one with these local agencies and your security vendor.
- Establish communication procedures for employees to report signs, red flags, and/or workplace violence threats.
- Establish alternative communication methods with employees during an incident – including emergency notification system, e-mail, phone, cell phone, text message, and loudspeaker announcements.
- Determine how to estimate the impact of an incident on facility operations and communicate that to customers, the public, and law enforcement.
- Communicate with emergency responders to manage facility expectations of response capabilities.
Employee Training and Awareness
- Training captures the development of skills and/or understanding through procedurally defined learning activities focused on a specific application. This component combines the types of training and exercises and the types of personnel trained.
- Train all employees on general emergency plans and those designed for specific scenarios.
- Train security personnel in guiding employees in each scenario (not just active shooter).
Prepare for an Incident.
Management:
- Learn how to recognize potential workplace violence and suspicious behavior.
- Identify the nearest exits’ location, emergency call boxes, potential safe harbors, emergency response kits, and decontamination sites.
Employees:
- Become familiar with emergency procedures and regularly review checklists or materials provided on emergency procedures.
- Identify who to call to report an incident and what information to provide about the situation.
Exercise your Emergency Action Plans Regularly and Repeatedly
- Schedule regular drills, tabletop and functional exercises.
- Assess gaps in plans, exercises and training.
Establish a Relationship with Emergency Responders
- Involve emergency services responders from multiple agencies in facility training and exercises.
- Jointly map out incident management procedures and pre-identify a common, secure radio communication channel.
- Invite all emergency services responders to tour your site and provide details about the facility that will help responders to adjust their protocols if necessary.
- Gain a better understanding and awareness of the complexities involved in an integrated response to an incident, including law enforcement procedures and capabilities and the steps to preserving a crime scene.
- Educate law enforcement on the impact of a crime scene on business operations and restoration.
Incident Response Considerations
Active shooter incidents often begin and conclude quickly, and the incident may be at any location in the organization or facility. This leaves facility management and security officers no time to coordinate response procedures with law enforcement and employees. The response to a specific incident will depend on the circumstances unique to that incident. However, there are general procedures that apply to all active shooter incidents.
Employees:
- Report the incident:
- If possible, call 911 or facility/organizational security.
- Evacuate if possible.
- Determine an escape route based on where an active shooter may be located.
- Leave your belongings behind. Keep your hands empty and visible at all times.
- Help others evacuate if possible but do not attempt to move the wounded. Evacuate even if others do not agree to follow.
- Move quickly to a safe place far from the shooter and take cover. Remain there until police arrive and give instructions.
- Remain calm. Avoid screaming or yelling as you evacuate.
- Follow all instructions of law enforcement.
Shelter if necessary
- Go to the nearest room or office and lock the door(s). If the door does not lock, wedge the door shut or use heavy furniture to barricade it.
- Identify an escape route in the event you are directed to evacuate.
- Close blinds turn off lights, and cover windows if possible and have time to do so.
- Silence all noise, including cell phones, radios, and computers.
- Have one person call 911, if it is safe to do so. Be prepared to answer the dispatcher’s questions.
- If it is not safe to talk, keep the phone on so it can be monitored by the dispatcher.
- Stay out of sight and take cover behind large, thick items or furniture.
- Do not open the door until the person can provide an identification badge.
- Remain under cover until law enforcement advises it is safe to evacuate.
- Positively verify the identity of law enforcement as an unfamiliar voice may be the shooter attempting to lure victims from a safe place.
Take action, if you must
- If there is no opportunity for escape or hiding, as a last resort, and only when your life is in imminent danger, attempt to disrupt and/or incapacitate the active shooter.
- Respond Appropriately When Law Enforcement Arrives.
- Remain calm and follow officers’ instructions.
- Raise your hands, spread your fingers, and keep hands visible at all times.
- Do not run when police enter the vicinity. Drop to the floor, if you are told to do so or move calmly out of the area or building.
- Do not make quick moves toward officers or hold on to them for safety.
- Avoid pointing, screaming, or yelling.
- Do not stop officers from asking for help or directions. Evacuate the building in the direction the officers arrived while keeping your hands above your head.
- For your safety, do not get upset or argue if an officer questions whether you are a shooter or a victim. Do not resist, even if you are handcuffed and searched.
Facility Management and Security:
- Control Access and Account for Personnel
- Do personnel have the ability to lock buildings or deactivate card readers remotely? How does that impact the need to account for employees?
- How will management notify employees of the situation and its location?
- How will personnel allow the site and building access to emergency responders?
- Account for full-time, part-time, and contract employees
- Obtain the visitor log
- Identify employees and visitors who are onsite
- Identify employees and visitor locations
Assist Emergency Responders
- Use security technology, such as closed-circuit television, to assist law enforcement in locating the victims and shooter(s)
- Provide site and building maps
- Provide facility access to emergency responders
- Ensure critical phone calls get through to security personnel
- Provide extra radios for emergency responders
- Ensure incoming emergency response personnel know where to stage
- Ensure emergency responders are aware of any safety concerns as they enter process areas
Manage the Perimeter.
- Assist law enforcement in establishing a secure perimeter
- Control or prevent the entrance of the media
- Establish a media center
- Establish a safe location to stage evacuees
Identifying Secondary Impacts
- Identify additional shooters or other threats
- Determine if the shooter knows the facility or its operations
- If necessary, execute safe shutdown procedures
Communication Information
In your EAP, outline the communication equipment, systems, and terminology used at your organization or facility for communication among all personnel (i.e., local law enforcement, fire department, Emergency Management Agency, media, facility security, etc.).
- Identify the systems used for communication among all personnel (i.e., venue personnel, facility security), and emergency response personnel (i.e., local police, fire department, etc.).
- Identify the channel(s) that are used for communicating among particular groups.
- Identify the equipment used.
- Identify the terminology used to communicate between the different personnel at the organization or facility.
Warnings, Messages, and Signage
To notify employees and visitors of the events happening in your organization or facility, Emergency Notification Messages need to be pre-scripted. In your EAP, you should include information about how messages will reach the employees and visitors, including sample Emergency Notifications, location and method of communicating warnings and messages, number and location of sirens and lighting.
- Describe the procedures for making Emergency Notifications.
- Describe the procedure for broadcasting different messages to different areas of the organization or facility.
- Describe the decision process to determine what announcement/message to provide to employees and visitors.
Emergency Notification Message
A sample announcement for “non-active shooter” emergencies could be:
“Ladies and Gentlemen, we regret interrupting the event. There is no cause for alarm, but we have received information that necessitates that we gradually clear the area. This is for your safety. As soon as we conclude our investigation of the situation, this event will continue. Again, we apologize for any inconvenience. Please follow the directions of the security personnel who will direct you through to the exits most convenient to your location.”
For an active shooter, you will need to create an announcement that will notify everyone to take appropriate action. Appropriate action could be to “Flee, Hide or Fight,” with Fleeing being the first and most important thing to do when safe to do so. Your message should not panic personnel but should be direct and clear about the situation so they can take immediate action and get to safety.
Communication of Warnings
In your EAP, list information about how warnings are communicated to employees and visitors.
- Describe how messages reach employees and visitors.
- Include cell phone text messages, public address systems, computer messaging, audible alarms, etc.
Physical Resources
A section of your EAP should outline the process for determining the necessary supplies, resources and equipment that should be available and readily accessible for utilization during an emergency to include an active shooter event.
- Prepare a needs assessment regarding the equipment and resources required to deal with an active shooter event.
- Prepare necessary documentation (i.e., directives, orders, guides, etc.) to execute an incident response.
- Prepare a first responders’ bag with keys, access cards, and maps of your facility so they can immediately respond to any situation at your facility.
Activation, Staging, and Mobilization
Your organization’s or facility Emergency Plan should contain guidance and procedures for the activation and mobilization of staging areas associated with an emergency. There should be separate staging areas for emergency responders and evacuees or victims of the active shooter incident. Information should be provided on the preplanned location(s), personnel, equipment (i.e., medical, decontamination, air monitoring, etc.), and other resources needed to activate, operate and demobilize a staging area.
Mass Care and Family Assistance
Your organization or facility Emergency Plan should contain guidance and procedures for Mass Care/Family Assistance (a scalable Emergency Support Function) once the evacuees or victims have been transported to the staging area(s). Health and medical support for the evacuation of casualties should encompass the organic medical response assets of your organization or facility, in addition to incorporating the local Emergency Management Services (EMS) local authorities’ Mass Casualty Plan.
Health and Medical Support
Your organization or facility Emergency Plan should contain guidance and procedures to address health and medical support needed at the staging areas during an emergency incident. The organization or facility should participate in the local community’s Mass Casualty Plan through mutual aid agreements between your organization, local EMS and local hospitals, and home care agencies that comprise the community Mass Casualty Plan.
- Your organization or facility should develop mutual aid agreements
- Participate in community Mass Casualty Plan
- Your plan should list Incident Recovery Considerations
- Address Victims and Families
- Established a family hotline
- Assist with victim identification
- Gather information related to victim identities, extent of injuries, and what hospitals are being utilized
- Notify the family members
- Use personnel who are specifically trained for this responsibility
- Procure counselors for employees and families
- Develop an action plan to handle concerns about returning to work
- A way to communicate internally
- Develop instructions for management to give to employees
- Develop a plan for communicating the information
- Consider if employees should return to their homes, remain onsite at a specified location, go to another site, etc.
- Determine how facility personnel will communicate with families
- Communicate Externally
- Identify the designated official for responding to media inquiries (not your security vendor).
- Determine what information and details facility personnel will provide to the media that will ease community concerns without inciting panic or hindering the investigation
- Continue Business Operations (if and when possible)
- Implement business recovery/continuity plans
- Make re-entry decisions after the site is released by law enforcement
- Provide safety and security debriefings
- Fill positions of deceased and injured employees
- Take actions to ensure employees feel safe
- Determine how the facility will continue operating with limited production or with some regions of the facility designated a crime scene
- Determine how the stage of the facility – shutdown, idle, restoration – affects protocols
- Post Incident Review/After Action Review Process
After-Action Review (AAR) Process
An AAR should be conducted immediately following an exercise or event and should involve representatives from each participating agency. This should include information on the significant events, all lessons learned, and review any new initiatives developed or identified during the exercise or event.
The AAR should also include discussing all techniques, tactics, and procedures utilized during the exercise/event to have what went right and what went wrong. It should identify any issues and the consequences resulting from the potential outcomes of those issues. Following the AAR meetings and discussion, and After-Action Report/Improvement Plan (AAR/IP) should be written, which identifies areas that require improvements, the actions necessary, the timelines for implementing those improvements, and the organization party responsible for this action. The AAR/IP should be shared with all stakeholders and used to define further the plans and procedures related to the emergency.
Program and Plan Maintenance
Your EAP with your Active Shooter Response Plan should be maintained, reviewed, and updated following the Emergency Plan’s preparedness cycle, including planning, training, exercising/responding, evaluating, and mitigating. All stakeholders should participate in each phase of this cycle to ensure that the plan reflects the current operational strategies, organizational structures, and methodologies utilized by response personnel. Following each event, training, or incident, an evaluation of all response actions and in-place mitigation measures should be performed. This will allow for identifying areas to be sustained, improved, or added to enhance the organization or facility’s overall preparedness.
Your EAP should provide an overview of how to utilize the preparedness cycle to maintain the Active Shooter Response Plan.
- Program Maintenance
- List the annual training, exercises, and drill plan.
- Plan Maintenance and Revision
- And listing the maintenance and revision plans.
L&P Global Security
As stated in our first blog, L&P Global Security’s consulting services assist and participate in our client’s emergency action plan (EAP). The purpose of our assistance is like the EAP itself, to help facilitate and organize our clients so they can take appropriate action to help their employees and visitors take action during emergencies. Having a well-developed emergency action plan and the proper training at your facility will result in fewer and less severe injuries and/or less damage during emergencies. It will help eliminate confusion, hurt and possible deaths.
We at L&P Global Security will assist you and your facility personnel in developing and/or revising your EAP to include any security risk or threat to your organization. We are here to help. L&P Global Security provides this assistance to its clients at no additional cost as part of our security services when you become an L&P Global Security client.
L&P Global Security “A NAME THAT SECURES YOU”
P.S. If you have any security concerns or any security needs at all in: Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, El Paso, Arlington, Frisco, Plano, Addison, Carrollton, Cedar Hill, Coppell, Desoto, Duncanville, Grand Prairie, Hutchins, Irving, Lancaster, Mesquite, Richardson, Rowlett, Sachse, Seagoville, Wilmer, Mckinney, Celina, Prosper, Denton, Hurst, Euless, Bedford, Farmers Branch, Burleson, Cleburne, Grapevine, Keller, Southlake, Trophy Club, Little Elm, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Midlothian, Waxahachie, Highland Park, University Park, Wylie, Saginaw, White Settlement, North Richland Hills, Saginaw, River Oaks, Mansfield, Corpus Christi, Laredo, Lubbock, Garland, Irving, Amarillo, Waco, or somewhere throughout Texas, Contact L&P Global Security today and put your fears to rest. We provide free consultations and will consider any security concerns or needs regardless of risk.