WHAT DO WE DO AFTER A TRAGEDY? LEADERSHIP TRAINING AFTER UVALDE

Uvalde Decisions Were Tragic. Now What?

There is nearly unanimous agreement that the leadership decisions made during the Active Shooter Event in Uvalde were wrong and that led to increased tragedy. And just like after Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland…our society is now reflecting upon our tactics, procedures, and training. There is also significant focus on leadership and decision-making.

Texas will be ground-zero in the next phase of establishing better standards for training, planning, compliance standards, and cooperation. Governor Abbot announced that over $100 million will be released to various state entities, including schools, departments, and institutions, to focus on safety and security improvements, as well as increased training to protect children.

Strategic Caution Amidst the Rush to Spend

There will now be a mad rush to determine what to spend that money on. Every vendor with a solution will be trying to influence these organizations, convincing them that their solution will ease concerns. My company, Crisis Response Leader Training, will be one of them. After all, I founded CRLT to address just the kind of challenges and consequences that occurred during Uvalde and countless other Active Shooter Events. I am not alone among companies that want to help by providing innovative solutions to save lives.

I’ll offer caution: deliberate planning is critical as you prepare to allocate the funds coming from state or federal sources.

Not the Time for Hasty Purchases

This should not be the time to:

• Significantly increase your inventory of new protective equipment

• Spend all allotted funds on high-tech solutions, bulletproof glass, or new infrastructure

• Substantially increase staffing

  
  

The Case for Thoughtful, Sustainable Action

1. No Single Solution: No one course of action will solve every problem or make the community entirely safe.

2. Sustainability: Any solution must be viable for 5-10 years, not just the short term.

3. Training Needs: Current personnel are under-trained; adding new resources without an overarching plan will likely create new leadership challenges.

   
   

Step 1: Defining the Scope

Start by identifying the problem. Potential issues to consider include:

• Poor awareness

• Training gaps on individual, team, or leadership levels

• Inadequate equipment

• Insufficient manpower

• Reduced communication and cooperation

• Limited training with partners

• Inclusion of school leadership, parents, and volunteers

• Emergency Action Plan development and improvement

• Establishing a cohesive training methodology

You’re likely going to answer, “Yes! All of the above!” So, your task is to balance how you spend funds to tackle as many of these areas as possible—and sustain them long-term.

Step 2: Gathering Additional Information

To make well-rounded decisions, ask yourself:

• What solutions are currently available or in development?

• What are the initial and continuing costs for each solution?

• Are solutions balanced with training needs, skill levels, and staffing?

• How many people will the solution impact?

• How will the solutions improve preparedness at both individual and organizational levels?

• What is the anticipated turnover rate in personnel? If you get a funding surge and train 30% of your community, how will you maintain that training in subsequent years?

A Rare and Needed Opportunity

I am pleased that states and the federal government are committing additional funds; this is sorely needed. First responders and schools have advocated for decades about the need for more resources to support crisis response. However, I caution that you plan carefully to maximize the impact of these funds.

Don’t waste this opportunity—they do not come often.