Conflicting Active Shooter Training Concepts Cause Confusion - continued from page 3
eliminate potential conflicts in how information is presented. Everyone should be on the same page when you are training people in geographic regions. Some of the various training methods include: ―Run, Hide, Fight‖, A-L-I-C-E (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate), and ―Shots Fired on Campus‖, which emphasizes similar marketing concepts as ―Run, Hide, Fight‖, but uses slightly different terminology (Get Out! Hide Out! Take Out the Shooter). Active shooter training is controversial enough without injecting conflicting standards, differing terminology, a combination of defensive actions, and other concepts that could easily confuse the public, students, faculty and staff in dealing with an active shooter scenario. A universal concept, mutually agreed to and combined with consistent training methods can save lives, and should be part of a national, coordinated emergency action planning process.
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Responding to Violence Experts say being prepared and responding quickly to crime and acts of violence can have both economic and emotional benefits. Bob VandePol, former president of Crisis Care Network, stresses the importance of companies acting in planned, caring ways on the "worst day of their employee's lives." Such measures will go a long way toward helping people cope, increasing retention after the incident and reducing monetary claims against the company. Family Dollar learned the hard way, enduring a $3.2 million case against the company where there was no loss of life. In 2003, the discount-merchandise retailer developed an aggressive response plan. The process begins with an immediate outreach via phone to counsel individuals, followed up 10 days later with a reach back. For more serious events, they do on-site counseling and group counseling for traumatic incidents. The chain focuses on training for claims adjustors, uses nurses to manage cases and aggressively monitors pharmaceuticals to control potential abuse. Finally, it exercises ongoing and immediate management communication to make sure everyone understands each situation. By 2008, the company increased its retention rate to 86% from as low as 50%. For retailers currently without such procedures, VandePol said no company is immune. Employers can become liable for medical and psychiatric care, workers' comp, higher insurance rates, lower morale and productivity, potential liability suits and higher turnover rates, and bad press.
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5 Key Points to a Crisis News Release
Effective crisis communication is a crucial element in effective crisis management and should assume a central role from the start. It establishes employee and client confidence in the ability of a company to deal with a crisis and to bring about a rapid resolution. Effective crisis communication is also integral to the larger process of information exchange aimed at eliciting trust and promoting understanding of the relevant issues or actions. Within the limits of available knowledge, effective crisis communication aids such efforts by: Guiding appropriate decisions, actions and behaviors; Improving knowledge and understanding; Encouraging collaboration and cooperation; and Building, maintaining or restoring trust.
Firestorm recommends following the Preaction model –
PREDICT.PLAN.PERFORM.® – in dealing with emergency/crisis communications: PREDICT:Who is the audience and what are their concerns? PLAN: Tailor message, messenger, and media format to the stakeholder. PERFORM: Focus on the 3 key messages. Successful crisis communication requires a written crisis communication plan prepared and endorsed by the company‘s senior management in advance. Last, remember to always document in writing the recommended messages and supporting material and practice, practice, practice delivery.
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LAX Shooting Shines Spotlight on Unsecured Areas of Airports
The recent shooting at LAX has raised questions about the security of checkpoints themselves, as well as other unsecured areas within airport terminals. According to Lauren Stover, assistant aviation director for public safety and security at Miami International Airport, one thing that airports can do to improve their security posture in these so-called ―soft areas‖ is to provide training to all employees on how to spot suspicious behavior. In addition, Stover said that anything an airport can do in the way of deterring a potential gunman such as having a visible law enforcement presence and continual training in active shooter scenarios is also very important. In testimony before the House Subcommittee on Transportation Security two weeks after the shooting, TSA Administrator John Pistole said that the agency was working with airport law enforcement authorities around the country to increase the presence of uniformed officers at screening checkpoints. Pistole said that they also held a meeting at TSA headquarters with aviation industry stakeholders and law enforcement agencies to get their feedback on possible solutions that could be implemented to address these types of incidents. Although some have
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