b'2020 WPMAEXPO Presidential Sponsor The SHI s m The SHIELDELD smRISK MANAGEMENT CORNERand Educational Session Presenter for Business OwnersACTIVE SHOOTER PREPAREDNESS"A Matter of Survival"if possible. Ensure mobile devices arePrevention and Interventionsilenced, remain quiet, and wait for theThe unpredictable nature of an active shooter shooter to leave the area. means that there are no definitive ways to prevent Fight This should be the last resort, and onlya shooting. But experts have identified indications 2if you are in immediate danger. Fightingthat an employee might have violent tendencies, requires commitment to the course ofincluding sadness, depression, threats, menacing action. Act with aggression and intent.behavior, hypersensitivity, diminished work Make as much noise as you can. Throwperformance, and a host of others.items or use objects as weapons toTeach employees to be on the lookout for warning disable the attacker. signs and notify a supervisor or human resources No matter what strategy you must use, alwaysrepresentative as soon as they can. It could be a remain calm. Your survival depends on your abilitymatter of life and death.to make rational decisions. When law enforcementWith the uncertainty of identifying a potential per-arrives, follow officers instructions immediatelypetrator and possible legal ramifications of taking without making sudden movements, keeping yourpre-emptive action, prevention can be tricky. If you hands visible. suspect an employee might be at risk of commit-ting workplace violence, consult law enforcement Plan and Train immediately.An emergency action plan (EAP) can help prepareFederated offers resources to help you educate employees for an emergency, including an activeyour employees on this vitally important topic. shooter. Your EAP should include: Seven Minute Safety Trainerhas the resources to conduct training sessions with your employees. 1.A preferred method for reporting emergencies J. J. Keller Video on Demand offers videos on 2.An evacuation policy and procedure preparing for, surviving, and recovering from an 3.Emergency escape procedures, including flooractive shooter threat. The Training Today learning plans and safe areas management system offers a course on reaction 4.Information for contacts to and preparation for an active shooter. Log on to Federateds Shield Network for access.5.Emergency service information, including hospi-tal telephone numbers and locations6.An emergency alert system to notify law en-Source: Active Shooter: How to Respond, U.S. Department of1forcement and individuals at remote locationsHomeland Security. https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/ within your facility publications/active-shooter-how-to-respond-2017-508.pdf.Its not enough to simply have a plan. Your employ- Accessed June 2019.Source: Workplace Violence Prevention: Readiness and Response, 2ees should know how to implement it. CollaborateFederal Bureau of Investigation Law Enforcement Bulletin.with local law enforcement for training on recog- https://leb.fbi.gov/articles/featured-articles/workplace- nizing and reacting to an active-shooting event.violence-prevention-readiness-and-response.Accessed June 2019.Training should include recognizing the sound ofThis article is for general information and risk prevention only and gunshots, applying the Run, Hide, Fight strategy,should not be considered legal or other expert advice. The recom-reacting when law enforcement arrives, and adopt- mendations herein may help reduce, but are not guaranteed to eliminate, any or all risk of loss. The information herein may be subject ing a survival mindset during a crisis. to, and is not a substitute for, any laws or regulations that may apply. Qualified counsel should be sought with questions specific to your circumstances.2019 Federated Mutual Insurance Company. Published Date: July 16, 2019WPMA News / Autumn 201957'