In an era marked by constant threats against innocent people, our collective worry and anger are palpable. However, the situation is exacerbated by a lack of proactive measures to prevent attacks or mitigate their impacts. Often, our focus remains on past incidents to shape our prevention and response strategies, neglecting the asymmetric nature of evil. This concept suggests that threats will exploit our vulnerabilities rather than confront us where we are strongest.
The Need for Proactive Planning
Our tendency to emphasize reactive planning limits our ability to adapt to new, more sophisticated attack methods. This failure to evolve means we are not as prepared as we should be, resulting in the tragic loss of innocent lives. Leaders must cultivate both Situational Awareness—understanding what has happened—and Situational Understanding—anticipating what is likely to occur in the near future. These concepts are crucial for effective prevention, planning, training, and response.
Understanding Vulnerabilities
Active shooters and other malicious actors will always seek out the weaknesses of their intended targets, whether people or property. Therefore, our vulnerability assessments, training plans, and community outreach must extend beyond recent events or historical data from the last 20 years. We need to "future-proof" our strategies against the asymmetric characteristics of malevolent individuals.For instance, strategically placing a resource officer and trauma care supplies near classroom areas during peak times can enhance both prevention and response efforts. Historical data indicates that classrooms and adjacent hallways are more likely to experience active shooter events in the morning compared to other locations on school grounds. While this approach represents a positive first step, it remains fundamentally reactive.
Preparing for the Unexpected
Evil seeks to create mass casualties, spread chaos, and instill fear; attackers prefer environments where they encounter minimal resistance. To counter this threat effectively, we must establish processes that enhance preparedness. Situational Understanding will develop over time as leaders apply fundamental problem-solving skills to comprehensive security plans.
Basic Problem-Solving Skills vs. Comprehensive Security Plan
Basic Problem-Solving Skills | Comprehensive Security Plan |
1. Identify the Problem | Threat Vulnerability Assessment |
2. Collect and Analyze Information | Threat Assessment Team |
3. Determine Courses of Action | Initial Emergency Action Plan |
4. Analyze the Courses of Action | Tabletop Exercises |
5. Develop a Plan | Revised Emergency Action Plan |
6. Rehearse/Train on the Plan | Training, Liaison & Outreach |
7. Evaluate | Review |
These processes will help us identify vulnerabilities effectively.
Adapting to Emerging Threats
Recent trends show an increase in gun incidents occurring outside traditional classroom settings, such as at outdoor sports complexes. Are our Emergency Action Plans equipped to handle situations that arise during major events like football games? While some security-minded individuals may consider additional parking lot security during these events, this approach does not fully address understanding or preparing for asymmetric threats.We must also consider congested environments at sporting events and their implications for choke points (crowded ingress/egress routes) when faced with threats like improvised explosive devices or drone attacks. The focus must shift toward preparing for both likely threats and adapting to future intentions and capabilities that could lead to catastrophic events.
A Call to Action for Community Leaders
These challenges are no longer confined to military or high-end security professionals; they demand immediate attention from all community leaders. If we fail to act decisively, we will continue witnessing tragic events that could have been avoided or mitigated. Crisis Response Leader Training, Inc is proud to announce its involvement in the Active Shooter Prevention Project (ASPP).
We will provide advisory and technical support to ASPP clients because we believe this collaborative effort under Chris Grollnek's leadership will significantly impact our communities and save lives. For the first time, we see a unified team of subject matter experts, leaders, hardware and software solutions, and best practices working together toward a common goal: #NEVERHERE is an achievable objective. Reach out to the right professionals today to start making a difference!
コメント