by Brianna Crandall — February 5, 2016—ASIS International (ASIS) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) hosted a joint stakeholder meeting on January 19 to address active shooting incidents.
More than 100 experts from the security, fire, law enforcement, emergency medical services (EMS), life safety, professional and government fields discussed existing resources, the crossover between security and fire disciplines, operational solutions, management procedures, building design and construction issues, and cost considerations with an emphasis on preparation and planning.
The intent of the collaborative effort was, and will continue to be, to examine gaps and exchange knowledge as they relate to active shooter events. Although there is no simple solution, ASIS and NFPA feel that gathering best practices from stakeholders will allow them to formulate necessary guidance so that individuals and organizations can “mitigate, survive and recover from these incidents.”
A summary of the day’s discussions, including photos and a copy of the opening presentation, is available online. Areas of focus included:
- Defining “active shooter” and reviewing FBI statistics
- Assessing technology and management needs and budgets
- Considering public and private sector concerns
- Identifying synergies and conflicts between security, safety and fire safety practices
- Examining the status of legal and regulatory issues
The group concluded that there is not a one-size-fits-all solution, and identified a need for guidance that can be tailored to the conditions and resource constraints of a wide range of organizations.
Security practitioners and organizations interested in receiving additional information on this initiative should contact standards@asisonline.org.
