THE DATA PAINTS A PICTURE
Eight minutes alone with an active shooter is a very long time. This is an eternity when your life is at risk, adrenaline is flowing, and the chaos of an attack is unfolding around you. The individual coming after you has lost all sense of reason and is not a person anymore; they are an adversary set on causing as much destruction as possible. You are the target. Your friends and coworkers are targets. The people you are responsible for are targets. This not a video game or a movie, this is the worst day of your life, and it is real.
Eight minutes. This is the average amount of time from the moment the initial call is placed to the time law enforcement arrives that people in the area will have to contend with an active shooter threat. This is the window in which you will need to execute your emergency action plans and contingencies (if they exist) and complete the steps necessary to keep yourself and your people alive. This number is based on statistics and data presented by the FBI, and that data shows a clear picture; but it is a dire one.
In a study conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations encompassing active shooter incidents from the years 2000 to 2019, the FBI found there were 333 incidents that met their criteria for an active shooter. The FBI defines an active shooter as, “one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area.” These incidents resulted in 2,851 casualties – 1,062 deaths and 1,789 injuries. In another report from the FBI, just looking at data from 2020 to 2021, incidents increased by 52.5% and casualties from these incidents were up 48%. This is a trend that is not abating and presents a serious risk to any organization.
Within this data, the FBI discovered that, on average, it took five minutes from the first shot being fired to someone alerting the police. This could be due to confusion as to what the noise was, lack of communications devices nearby, or a host of other reasons. The average time for law enforcement to arrive on scene after getting the initial call was three minutes. Five minutes to make the call, three minutes for a response. Eight minutes where you will be alone with an active shooter. And this is a best-case scenario in terms of response times. The FBI noted that response times could be as high as fifteen minutes, making that window much larger and more deadly. The 333 incidents reviewed had an average length of 12 minutes, with most incidents still ongoing when law enforcement arrived to stop the threat.
Looking at these times, the number of injuries or deaths per incident, and the length of incidents, the casualty rates become clear. On average, nine people are shot during an incident, and someone dies every 90 seconds. Again, this is a best-case scenario for the worst possible situation. These numbers increase if notifying the police takes longer, if the police response takes longer, or if the attacker is skilled at and determined to cause as much devastation as possible. There is no accurate way to predict how long the incident will take place or how many people will be lost, so it is only safe to assume that the worst can always happen.
WHO IS COMING TO HELP?
Something else to consider, all this information about law enforcement response time only applies if the responding officers decide to help. Recent events, such as those in Uvalde, have shown this is not always the case. To be clear, this is in no way meant to bash good officers or tarnish their career field, this is simply pointing out that situations do exist in where the people you call to help you might not want or be able to. In fact, the U.S. Supreme court has ruled that police officers have no special duty or obligation to protect you from harm. They are not required to risk their lives for yours. This has been reaffirmed several times by decisions in cases across the court system. Warren v. District of Columbia (1981) held that police do not owe a specific duty to provide police services based on the public duty doctrine. DeShaney v. Winnebago (1989) ruled that the state is not required to intervene in protecting residents from actions of private parties that may infringe on their life, liberty, and property. Lozito v. New York City (2013) upheld the U.S. Supreme Court ruling and reaffirmed that the police do not have a duty to protect you or anyone.
Law Enforcement training for active shooter response also does not prioritize you or your people, nor should it. Responding officers’ primary responsibility when responding to an active shooter incident is to eliminate the threat. It is not to protect people, it is not to render aid, it is to stop the hostile action at all costs. According to the International Association of Chiefs of Police, responding officers should not even attempt to render aid until the threat is neutralized and the immediate area cleared. And this is the proper way for responding officers to handle the incident. By taking out the threat as quickly as possible, they are preventing a greater loss of life.
"Law Enforcement training for active shooter response also does not prioritize you or your people, nor should it."
Procedures are being put in place to help mitigate loss of life during the time officers are searching for the shooter in the form of Rescue Task Forces. A Rescue Task Force, or RTF, is a team comprised of law enforcement and medical rescue personnel, usually firefighters or paramedics. They enter the scene when it is in the “warm” phase – the known shooter or shooters have been neutralized, but the building is still being searched for additional threats. The officers escort the medical personnel to injured people, providing security from potential threats. The medical responders are then able to provide vital treatment much sooner than if they used current response procedures and waited for the scene to enter the “cold” phase after everything is searched and cleared. RTFs are gaining traction in some cities, but their use requires both law enforcement and fire departments to agree on training and implementation tactics, so it is a slow process to get these teams in the field. In the meantime, unless your local emergency services departments have started rolling out RTFs, you are still on your own until the scene is declared threat-free.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU
At the end of the day, all the above information means the only sure ways of keeping your people safe and alive during those eight minutes lay with you. This is a heavy responsibility, and it is a solemn one. Planning for an active shooter incident is necessary. Preparing your employees and coworkers to face a threat and react to it is a top priority. Having the resources and equipment available to treat injuries until help arrives means more of your team survives. Taking charge of your fate and the fate of those you are responsible for instead of waiting for someone to rescue you is the only viable option considering the information available.
Regularly occurring and high-quality active shooter training should be standard for every company, but it is not a standalone solution. Preparing for an attack requires a layered, defensive approach to security. The US military practices the concept of “defense in depth.” This is a strategy that combines cooperative and complimentary security measures as well as approved training and is established in defensive layers. It starts with the perimeter of an installation, considers procedures and training, involves security systems, and proceeds all the way down to the individual; the Air Force even has a saying that “every Airman is a sensor,” meaning responsibility for security and threat detection rests with everyone. Every person in your organization needs to be aware of the security issues they face and must be ready to report problems or act swiftly during emergencies.
"...the only sure ways of keeping your people safe and alive during those eight minutes lay with you. This is a heavy responsibility, and it is a solemn one."
Hardening your facility and personnel from a threat requires the same, layered approach the military uses. This includes active shooter training, emergency action planning, trauma treatment training and supplies. It requires a robust security program with procedures that are trained and exercised on. Stopping threats in their tracks necessitates current and functional electronic security systems and best physical security practices. It is vital that all employees understand the importance of keeping up to date on training and following all of your organization’s security procedures. Developing these programs, policies, and systems can be challenging and demanding. You can always attempt to DIY it using free online resources, but no one is giving away their whole set of knowledge for nothing in return. Using a security firm with the right experience and certifications makes all the difference.
The eight-minute window can be shortened. It can even be closed. There is no guarantee that implementing even the best security systems and training programs will prevent or stop a threat; anyone that tells you otherwise is lying. However, using training programs like insider threat identification or workplace violence de-escalation might stop a situation from developing. Advanced detection and denial systems might stop a shooter from entering your facility. Emergency alerting systems give your people advance notification and crucial time to escape or enact security procedures. “Might” or “maybe” are no one’s favorite words, especially in terms of security, but that is all there is. Survival in an active shooter incident is measured in seconds and something that might give you an advantage is significantly better than the alternative. By combining and layering security measures and training programs, you provide the best chance possible of your people staying safe and coming out of the incident in one piece. It is time to get ready and stay ready.
DISCLAIMER:
The above written article does not constitute legal, medical, or financial advice from Haven Defense Solutions LLC and should not be treated as such. It is for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for an actual security assessment or security consult. All content provided by Haven Defense Solutions LLC or sourced from other parties is owned by and copyrighted to the original source. The information is provided “as is” without any representations or warranties, express or implied.
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