By James Green
The FBI has identified 160 active shooter incidents that occurred in the U.S. between 2000 and 2013. Seventy percent of these incidents occurred at a commercial business or an education institution. As evidenced by the headlines, that number continues to increase.
Today, we are faced with a reality in which companies need to be prepared for what to do in the case of an active shooter entering the workplace. Credit unions in particular should take specific factors and challenges into account when it comes to incorporating active shooter awareness and training into existing life safety programs.
Below are five things credit unions need to know:
1) Active shooter training is no longer optional. Part of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 states, “Each employer shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.” With an active shooter incident now 18 times more likely to occur than a fire at a place of business, several courts have recently ruled that an active shooter in the workplace should now be considered a recognized hazard.
2) Robbery training is not the same as active shooter training. Robbers do not usually have a connection to the area or building they are entering, while active shooters usually do. A robber’s primary goal is theft – he or she wants to get in, get the money, and get out. A shooter’s goal is to inflict harm.
3) A branch is not the same as other office settings. Credit union branches are different from other workplace settings that often have lots of square footage and/or open areas. Branches are designed to keep money in and people out. Because a majority of active shooters enter through the front door, it becomes even more challenging to find other viable exits and places to hide.
4) Instituting active shooter training will not cause panic. Many companies, credit unions included, already prepare their employees for the unlikely event of a fire or weather-related disaster. Most employees have been through fire and disaster drills at some point, which makes it more seamless to introduce active shooter awareness as the third piece of a complete life safety program. This is made easier by the fact that more schools are conducting these types of drills, so employees (parents) are getting questions from their children about these drills and their necessity.
5) Drills are required. According to the FBI, most active shooter incidents were over in less than five minutes, and one-third were over in less than two minutes. Active shooter drills are just as important as fire and tornado drills, which we have all been conditioned to accept, especially because these types of incidents are over so quickly.
Similar to the “Stop, Drop and Roll” technique we all learned when it comes to fire safety, active shooter training should instill the following:
Run. The first goal is to get out of the area or building as quickly as possible. Know the specific route or routes available.
Hide. If running is not an option, find someplace to hide. Find a room with a door that locks from the inside. If none of the doors have locks, find a room without windows. Always barricade the door if time allows.
Fight. If you are not able to leave the building, if hiding is not an option, and if your life is in immediate danger, your last resort is to try to distract, stun or overwhelm the shooter.
A Powerful, Free Video Worth Watching
The Department of Homeland Security and the city of Houston have created a very powerful, free, six-minute video on the “Run, Hide, Fight” approach that should be shown to all credit union employees. It is now the legal obligation of employers to provide a safe working environment for employees. By incorporating active shooter training as part of your existing life safety program, you should be able to adopt them with minimal disruption and anxiety to your workforce.
James Green is Business Continuity Program Manager at PSCU. Green has spent the majority of his career in the financial services industry, beginning in equipment leasing at GATX and later shifting to business continuity and enterprise risk management. He has worked on risk events that have occurred all over the globe, including civil unrest in Egypt during the Arab Spring, executive travel and protection in the Pacific Rim, and the effects of destructive tornados in Oklahoma. Prior to joining PSCU, Green was the global head of business continuity for Sykes Enterprises, a business process outsourcer with 50,000 employees and 80 locations worldwide.