Active shooterPreparing for the worst case scenario
The number of incidents involving armed attackers (active shooter incidents) has been on the rise over recent years with attacks taking place around the world — from the United States to India, from Norway to France to Kenya. Control Risks says that its Active Shooter training helps increase awareness of the threat and, in the worst case scenario, how best they can protect themselves.
Teachers participating in active shooter training to bring educators and first responders together // Source: commons.wikimedia.org
The number of incidents involving armed attackers (active shooter incidents) has been on the rise over recent years with attacks taking place around the world — from the United States to India, from Norway to France to Kenya. Likely locations for attacks are increasingly “soft” targets with relatively easy, unsecured access; these include commercial offices, public buildings, and open spaces including public gatherings, for example concerts and sports events. And while the likelihood of being caught up in an active shooter incident is low, companies with employees based in urban centers or staff travelling internationally are increasingly looking to provide their staff with specialist training.
Control Risks says that its Active Shooter training helps increase awareness of the threat and, in the worst case scenario, how best they can protect themselves.
The company says that this type of targeted training supports an employer’s duty of care responsibilities. Monitoring the evolving global threat landscape and taking appropriate action is integral to an organization’s duty of care, which requires that they take all reasonable steps to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of their staff.
Control Risks’ Active Shooter training course is a scalable and accessible, interactive e-learning course which has been designed by experts in workplace violence, active shooter and terrorist attacks, and crisis management. It aims to raise an individual’s situational awareness, provide guidance on identification of potential perpetrators and how to respond in the event of an incident occurring.
Key elements of Control Risks’ Active Shooter e-learning training course:
1. Awareness and Identification
- Recognizing the potential for violence in the workplace
- Vulnerable times and locations
- Different types of cover and what offers the best protection
- Situational awareness and surroundings.
2. Response
- ‘Run, Hide, Fight’
- Contacting the emergency services
- When law enforcement arrives.
David Graeme, Director of Training at Control Risks, said: “With an increasingly globalized workforce, with staff working and travelling on business internationally, many employers are looking at ways to ensure they keep their people safe, including their non-travelling staff who may be just as at risk from such an attack in their home city. Planning and preparedness can make a real difference to the outcome of an active shooter attack, both in terms of helping save lives as well as minimizing the number of casualties. Given the unpredictable and fast moving nature of this type of incident, prevention is very difficult but through appropriate, expert training, individuals will be better equipped to react quickly to protect themselves and their colleagues.”
