Experiencing an active shooter in your healthcare facility is one of the worst things that can happen to you, your employees and residents. It can happen suddenly and last seconds or minutes and it only takes a short amount of time to cause damage to property and kill innocent people. We hear of active shooter incidents happening in a variety of environments – from retail stores to schools and college campuses around the country. Unfortunately, long-term care facilities are prime targets for angry employees or family members. It is important to train your employees what to do during an active shooter incident and become aware of any triggers that might lead to such an event.
The Active Shooter
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defines an active shooter as “an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area; in most cases, active shooters use firearms(s) and there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims”. Victims may be intentionally targeted by the shooter or they may be randomly shot or killed. The active shooting event is unpredictable and evolves quickly. Once law enforcement are notified, it may take several minutes for them to arrive. Because of this, the DHE reminds us that it is best to be prepared both physically and mentally to handle an active shooter situation until police arrive at the scene.
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Four Lines of Defense
Surviving an active shooter incident involves four key factors: a survival mindset, situational awareness, well-trained employees and best practices.
A survival mindset involves accepting responsibility for your own survival. You do not depend on anyone else to save you. It also involves acknowledging the potential of an incident happening in your facility. In other words, anything can happen and one day it might. It is best to be mentally, emotionally, and physically prepared to act and survive. Some people will run, others will fight and some will completely freeze during an active shooter event. Still others will completely deny it is happening. You must think about what to do and make decisions quickly in order to survive.
The second line of defense is situational awareness. This involves being keenly aware of your environment and surroundings at all times. Expect the unexpected. Anything could happen at any time. You should be prepared for the worst case scenario by having a flexible exit and survival plan. If an active shooter were to enter through the front of your building, which exits would be available? What if the shooter is already in the building and is in the dining area? This strategy is similar to the safety briefing we receive on a plane before takeoff. Know your exit – prepare to survive.
The third line of defense is having a group of well-trained and prepared employees. Why is training so important? Your employees will most likely react to an active shooter the way they were trained to. Training helps balance our stress reaction and keeps us grounded. Training can involve preparing for an active shooter event, rehearsing what to do during an event, and practicing the survival plan. According to the DHS, employees are now considered the true first responders.
The fourth and last line of defense involves the use of best practices. These are lessons learned by law enforcement from past incidents. The new model of best practices can be summed up as Run, Hide and Fight. If you can escape or help others to – Run. If there is no escape and the shooter is between you and an exit – Hide. If your life is in immediate danger and the shooter’s gun jams or he runs out of bullets – Fight. Although there is much more to this model, it is considered the new best practice for surviving an active shooter incident.
Final Words on Active Shooter Survival in Senior Care
We hear about an active shooter event almost weekly in the media. It can happen anytime, anywhere. Nursing homes and other senior living communities have become a new target for this form of violence and there is little room for error when trying to save your life and the lives of others. Call your local law enforcement and ask how to receive active shooter training. It may be the most important training you and your employees will ever take.
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