The following is the agreed-upon definition of an active shooter by U.S. government agencies including the White House, U.S. Department of Justice/FBI, U.S. Department of Education, and Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency:
Profile of an Active Shooter
An Active Shooter is "an individual(s) actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a . . . populated area." In most cases of mass casualty attacks, the actors use firearm(s), but it is important to be aware that other weapons are sometimes used such as explosives and cutting instruments.
Active shooter incidents are usually unpredictable and the situations evolve quickly. Typically, the immediate deployment of law enforcement is required to stop the shooting and mitigate harm to victims.
How to Respond When an Active Shooter Is In Your Vicinity
The DHS recommended survival techniques you follow should be fluid based on the threat, your location and your individual circumstances. Therefore, note that the order of the techniques can be modified. RUN/HIDE/FIGHT
Quickly determine the most reasonable way to protect your own life. Remember that customers and clients are likely to follow the lead of employees and managers during an active shooter situation.
To prevent an active shooter from entering your hiding place:
If the active shooter is nearby:
As a last resort, and only when your life is in imminent danger, attempt to disrupt and/or incapacitate the active shooter by:
1.1.1 General Response Guidelines to a Report of an Active Shooter
During a report of an Active Shooter incident, and when safe to do so, each tenant will be instructed via a PA Announcement or mass notification alert to implement their company’s Active Shooter policy.
PA Announcement - Whenever possible and safe to do so, an announcement will be made over the fire alarm PA system. Below is a sample script emergency notification when the active shooter is inside the building:
"An active shooter has entered the building; he was last seen on the 3rd floor of the building. Please implement your company’s active shooter response plan based on your location and stand by for further notifications."
Active Shooter Inside the Building
Active Shooter Outside the Building
Elevator Recall
Unlike fire emergencies, the Fire Safety/Security/EAP Director is NOT required to recall all the passenger elevators. The Fire Safety/Security/EAP Director will act based on available information including the building‘s infrastructure and the reported location and movement of the threat before deciding where to position the elevators.
Fire Alarm Pull Stations
As a general guideline, tenants should NOT pull the manual fire alarms due to the fact that this may automatically unlock the stairway re-entry doors and recall the elevators to the lobby. This could potentially give wider access to an active shooter and in the case of an elevator lobby recall, deliver tenants into a potentially unsafe location.
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