Preparing for Active Shooter Scenarios

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We live in a dangerous and uncertain world, one where acts of violence can occur at any time and in any place. Think back to recent headlines, where shootings at concerts and in high schools have rocked the nation. In each of these cases, emergency response teams and on-site security personnel were able to respond to the threat and mitigate the damage as best they could; indeed, while there's no way to totally avoid active shooter scenarios , there are steps you can take to be prepared for them. And it's not just law enforcement officers and security personnel who need to be prepared. Individuals also need to know how to respond in active shooter situations. Here are a few tips to boost you own level of preparation, from the experts at MPS Security.

Analyze and Adapt

One of the first priorities in active shooter survival training is knowing the environment. This means identifying both possible risk areas where shooters can easily defend themselves or inflict more damage, and safety areas like exits or easily-defendable rooms. Make sure you know the lay of the land in your workplace, and coach your employees or colleagues to think through the terrain in terms of active shooter safety. The bottom line: A thorough assessment of the environment can go a long way toward enacting safeguards and illuminating some basic safety procedures.

Embodying the Mindset

Safety isn't just about your physical locale. It's also about your mindset, and the mindset of your employees. Complacency and the inability to maintain a level of vigilance can be detrimental to adapting a proper response in the event of an active shooter intrusion. However, balance is critical. On the one hand, it's important to have a "security mindset" wherever you go, and to be mindful that active shooter scenarios can happen anywhere. At the same time, it's vital to remember that excessive paranoia can have a reverse effect and may lead to jitteriness or clouded thinking-which compromises everyone's safety.

Practice Makes Perfect

Finally, it's important for your workplace team to regularly rehearse its active shooter response. Consider that, in sports, victories are obtained through intensive and regular practice, building teamwork and cohesion until the team is like a well-oiled machine that can act together as if on instinct. That's exactly what you need to be ready for an active shooter scenario. So what does this look like? For one thing, we recommend regular active shooter drills. Emphasize realism and on-site response. Make sure everyone on your team is familiar with what they should and shouldn't do in the event of an active shooter. Note that this training can help test if an assertive response from people caught in the crossfire (i.e. rushing the shooter as a large group to unnerve the shooter, or engaging the shooter with any item on-hand) would be a good choice or not.

Seek Help from MPS Security

It's vital to do anything and everything you can to keep your workplace safe, especially from potential shooters. In addition to the preparedness tips mentioned in this post, consider outsourcing your security needs to trained professionals. Contact the MPS Security active shooter survival experts to learn more.

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