The likelihood of an active assailant situation is now recognized by the US Government (OSHA, FBI, Homeland Security) to be an event that is “More Likely Than Not” to occur, especially in high risk industries.

The very idea of an active shooter incident is unsettling. Yet the way to feel the safest and the most confident about a positive outcome (prevention or safe management/resolution) is to look at the possibility head-on and prepare as thoroughly as possible. Understanding the risk factors, putting measures in place and rehearsing for various scenarios are the best practices to mitigate loss, including the possibility of loss of life. In even more simple terms, there are three clear steps to take in response to an active shooter incident: RUN, HIDE, FIGHT.

Our latest SlideShare summarizes many aspects of an active assailant incident, including which industries are most at risk, what motivates a perpetrator, and what best practices to implement to protect your organization.

Take your own first step today – view the slideshow here:

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Does it seem like the unthinkable news about another shooter trying to murder as many innocent people as possible has become almost routine? If it feels this way to you, there’s a reason. The number of “active shooter” incidents—cases where one or more assailants kill or attempt to kill people in a populated area—counted by the FBI has increased dramatically since 2000.

In 2000, there was 1 active shooter incident recorded.  There were 20 incidents in both 2014 and 2015.  In all, there have been 200 active shooter incidents since 2000 somewhere in America.

Some people react to these incidents as if they were “black swan” events, that is, unexpected or surprising events that are impossible to predict. But as these data show, they are rare but they are not accidental nor should they be surprising any more. An active shooter may attack in virtually any location at any time people are present.

This is not a swan, it is a known risk, and risks can be mitigated.

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