Acts of planned violence are carried out again and again against innocent people simply living their lives. These events usually last only 10 to 15 minutes with a majority of them lasting less than five. By the time law enforcement is contacted and arrives, the damage may already be done, making every second critical.
Over the past decade, most active shooter incidents have occurred in businesses, followed by schools and government facilities. And the frequency of these episodes is rising. The FBI reported 250 active shooter events between 2000 and 2017, with 30 in 2017 alone. What should you do if you find yourself in an active shooter situation? Since they usually happen indoors, property managers need to be trained and prepared to handle them.
What is an Active Shooter?
An active shooter is someone actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area. They usually use firearms with no pattern to the victims they choose. But in most cases they are:
- Deliberate: Their rampages are planned.
- Focused: Once the plan is made, they’re fixated on the execution and will target anyone who gets in their way.
- Detached: They don’t consider their victims human.
- Bullies: Maybe they were bullied themselves and seek retribution for past mistreatment.
- Suicidal: Over half of these shooters commit suicide once they’ve completed their mission or when cornered.
IREM’s Special Two-Hour Webinar
Developing an active shooter preparedness plan can minimize the impact of an active shooter event on your property. IREM is hosting a two-hour webinar to help real estate managers and their teams train and prepare for these incidents, from tenant and resident safety to business productivity loss and managing any financial impact.
Learning Objectives:
- The financial impact of a death in the workplace
- OSHA code 5(a)(1) and how you’re legally obligated to prepare for these events
- Strategies to protect your property, tenants and residents
The Speakers
The webinar will be hosted by Tony Casper, CEO of Safe Passage Consulting. Casper’s been in law enforcement for more than 17 years and is an expert instructor in Counter-Terrorism Tactics and Active Shooter Response for both law enforcement officials and private individuals. He’ll be joined by Dustin Randall, a combat veteran from the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps, with nine years of experience as a sniper. Dustin has worked in corrections, patrol and SWAT for the last seven years.
“Active shooter response training is essential to property managers to help understand appropriate measures they should take to protect their tenants,” says Tony. “They’ll learn what actions can be taken to protect themselves and property owners, should an incident occur on their property. When a property manager can say they’ve instituted the best practices available, we minimize liability and damages.”
We hope you never experience an active shooter situation on your property or anywhere else. But being prepared and knowing what to do if it does happen can save lives. Active Shooter Events: The Cost and How to Mitigate Loss Through Preparation takes place on April 18 from 1-3 p.m. CST.