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Businesses and Employers

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A selection of references, trainings, and videos has been compiled below to assist businesses and employers in understanding how to prevent, prepare for and respond to an active assailant incident. This is not a comprehensive list of resources. Businesses are encouraged to utilize these resources as a starting point.

Although different terminology has been developed for response strategies (Run, Hide, Fight; Avoid, Deny, Defend; React, Escape, Survive), all have common goals of increasing employee/public awareness prior to an active assailant incident, educating on readily adaptable options, and increasing survivability. One strategy is not recommended over another.

Prevention

Workplace Violence Prevention and Response

https://leb.fbi.gov/articles/featured-articles/workplace-violence-prevention-readiness-and-response

A law enforcement bulletin from the FBI Training Division covering the spectrum of workplace violence indicators and prevention tactics.

Workplace Violence Checklist

https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/hospital/hazards/workplaceviolence/checklist.html

U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s checklist for workplace violence prevention and intervention.

Workplace Violence: Issues in Response

Workplace Violence: Issues in Response Document

A research publication of the Critical Incident Response Group National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime FBI Academy, Quantico, Virginia.

Active Shooter: What You Can Do (FEMA Course: IS-907)

https://training.fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=IS-907

Written for employees but applicable to the public, this training reviews how to recognize potential workplace violence indicators, actions to prevent active assailant incidents, and how to interact with law enforcement responding to an incident.

Planning

Small Business ‘Active Shooter’ Resources

https://smallbusiness.com/resources/active-shooter-small-business/

Compiles active assailant online training, downloadable pocket guides, short videos, and a longer 90-minute webinar all from the Department of Homeland Security that can be applied to businesses.

Active Shooter Preparedness

https://www.cisa.gov/active-shooter-preparedness-resources-businesses-and-ci-partners

While identified as resources for HR or security professionals, the information is relevant to large and small businesses. Plan development guidance, templates, fact sheets, and links to training videos are organized under themed headings.

Active Shooter How to Respond

https://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/active_shooter_booklet.pdf

Short, high-impact guide that businesses can use to gather relevant emergency contact info, design an emergency plan, and plan a training.

Hands-On Training and Simulation Videos

Stop the Bleed®

https://www.stopthebleed.org/

One of the best ways to increase a person’s likelihood of survival when severely injured during active assailant incident is to quickly stop severe bleeding. Coworkers can provide initial life-saving measures. The Stop the Bleed® site provides resources on how to organize an in-person training, life-saving strategies and posters, instructional videos, and aid kits to place in common areas.

Surviving an Active Shooter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFQ-oxhdFjE

This 9.5-minute video, developed by the LA County Sheriff’s Office, is applicable to all businesses. The video outlines strategies for increasing survivability and helps answer the question “What would you do?” during an active assailant incident at work, school, or in public.

Civilian Response to an Active Shooter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0It68YxLQQ&feature=youtu.be

This 11.5 minute video developed by the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) Program provides a scenario in a large business, but the Avoid, Deny, Defend strategy is relevant to any business and the public. It highlights a variety of practical strategies to help survive an active assailant.

RUN.HIDE.FIGHT- Surviving an Active Shooter Event

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VcSwejU2D0&feature=player_embedded

The City of Houston (Ready Houston) created this effective video on what to do in the event of an active assailant in an office environment.

InfraGard – Partnership for Protection

https://www.infragard.org/

The InfraGard is a partnership between the FBI and members of the private sector. The program provides a vehicle for seamless public-private collaboration with government that expedites the timely exchange of information and promotes mutual learning opportunities relevant to the protection of critical infrastructure.

FBI – Domestic Security Alliance Council (DSAC) Member Portal

https://www.dsac.gov/

DSAC is a strategic partnership between the U.S. government and the U.S. private industry that enhances communication and promotes the timely and effective exchange of security and intelligence information between the federal government and the private sector.