Why did we create an active shooter training for businesses program? Most businesses have policies in place outlining responses to different types of crises. Every business follows fire codes and many have a response plan in place for critical incidents such as a bomb threat.
The same concept of writing policies, creating a plan, training staff, and then practicing these procedures does not apply as it should regarding an active shooter, threat, or disgruntled employee.
Going through an active shooter training for businesses and building a plan for this type of event is critical in protecting the workplace’s most valuable assets: the employees.
Why We Created An Active Shooter Training For Businesses
When it comes to having a security plan in place for an active shooter situation or violence in the workplace it must go beyond words on paper that explain counseling measures and termination procedures for administration. Emergency plans must be created and physically practiced in order to prevent or counter an attack.
The FBI conducted a study of active shooter incidents that have occurred from the years 2000-2013. In order for the incident to be classified as an active shooter incident there had to be 4 or more deaths or injured from that incident. Within the 13 year study, an average of 11.4 incidents have occurred annually.
An average of 6.4 incidents have occurred within the first 7 years of the study, and an average of 16.4 occurred over the last 7 years.
This statistic shows an eerie increase of occurring incidents. Also, 70% of incidents occurred in either a commerce/business or educational environment. And finally, 60% of incidents ended prior to police arrival. These statistics should open the eyes for businesses to initiate planning, preventative measures, and security enhancements for their workplace.
The term active shooter is defined by the FBI as, “an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area”. The term active shooter training is defined as a series of training strategies designed to minimize mass causalities in the event of an active shooter or active killer.
Our definition of active shooter training omits the target audience because different professions require specific training (i.e. active shooter training for teachers versus active shooter training for law enforcement).
What Makes Our Active Shooter Training For Businesses Different
Guardian Defense has created specific active shooter training for businesses that differs from the active shooter training for schools, active shooter training for religious organizations, active shooter training for hospitals and active shooter training for law enforcement.
This active shooter training for businesses program differs from most of the others because in most businesses, the employees are not responsible for a dependent. For those who are responsible for dependents (like a teacher is to students), than the active shooter training program is customized to meet this need.
Most Infamous Active Shooter Incident In The Workplace In The USA
One of the most infamous stories of an active shooter incident in the workplace occurred in 1986 in Edmond, Oklahoma when Patrick Sherrill murdered 14 employees and wounded six at the post office where he worked. Following a series of more post office- related active shooter incidents, the term “Going Postal” was coined as a way to identify a person who becomes extremely violent, particularly in the workplace.
We have learned from this incident and so many others the importance of first, investing in the well-being of our employees and second, offering workplace violence prevention training opportunities.
When we invest in the well-being of our employees, we provide a workplace that is safe and secure, and this in turn provides a productive and conducive work environment. Employers can create such environments by offering opportunities for employees to get to know one another, and also create pleasurable moments for employees to connect during work time and outside of work.
When our instructors teach workplace violence prevention during our active shooter training for businesses, one of the most basic key concepts is “If you see something, say something.”
An employee would most likely never start his or her first day of work upset or angered and continue each day that way. (And, if such employee did, one would hope the manager would meet with the employee quite frequently to get to learn of his or her dissatisfaction).
What has been found to be true in so many cases of an active killer is that something triggers the negative thought or idea and from the time the idea is triggered until the time the incident is executed, there are plenty of warning signs in between.
Taken directly from our training: “In the case of every active killer before one shot is fired they dream, write, discuss, use social media, plan, gather, purchase, steal, construct, case, practice, dress, pack, load, transport, and approach.”
As we see, the concept of seeing something and then saying something is so important because there are so many opportunities to spoil a potential disaster. But what can one do when after all measures have been taken to prevent a tragedy and it still occurs?
There will never be a solution to permanently ending violence in the workplace. There are ways; however, to protect oneself from an armed intruder and mitigate mass causalities through training, planning, and drilling.
Ideally, if you can have a professional in the field train your staff, that is the best start. But, planning can begin without training.
- Plans can come in the form of procedures. To read further about where to start when developing a plan in the workplace, please read, “Preparing for the Lone Wolf Attack: The Building Blocks of Planning for an Active Shooter in the Workplace.”
- Plans can also come in the form of taking action in the event of an actual active shooter situation.
Run. Hide. Fight. Active Shooter Technique
The Department of Homeland Security developed the “Run. Hide. Fight.” technique as the fastest response to an active shooter situation. This brief, six-minute film illustrates these three responses and can be found on their website or YouTube.
The Run. Hide. Fight. model appears self-explanatory and simple, but we recommend further, in-depth explanation and active shooter training for businesses. Although the information presented in this video is very helpful, most people who view this video would agree that hands-on training would be further beneficial to understanding and digesting this information.
Guardian Defense recognizes the need for active shooter training for businesses and your staff in knowing what to do when a violent intruder enters the workplace and that is why we have developed the A.C.T. Business Program: Workplace Violence Prevention and Active Shooter Training for Employees.
A.C.T. stands for Assess, Challenge and Train.
Please go to the A.C.T. Business Program: Workplace Violence Prevention and Active Shooter Training for Employees for more information.
This active shooter training for businesses program encompasses the most important solutions mentioned above and is designed to give employees the confidence needed in order to protect and defend themselves in the event of an intruder, active shooter or killer, or other terrorist attack.
The active shooter training for businesses program is offered in 3-steps:
- ACT Business Program Lecture
- ACT Mock Scenarios: Practical and Simulation, and
- Confidential Business Security Survey.
We encourage businesses to assess their current safety procedures, and then challenge themselves through our training.
What Makes Our Active Shooter Training For Businesses Program Outstanding
With a recent surge of active shooter incidents occurring in the workplace, it is no wonder there is a need for workplace safety training. As professionals in this field, we provide the employer and all employees the confidence needed to keep themselves safe and protected.
Guardian Defense’s approach is one that can adapt to the audience and serve the various working communities and ever-changing environments. Potential employers should note that our instructors have worked with many different types of professionals. Through this active shooter training, participants have noted the enormous amount of knowledge and patience that our instructors exuberate; leading to an effective and masterful training experience.