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Providing students and staff with training on active shooter response empowers them with knowledge on how to act decisively and protect themselves and others, fostering a safer school environment.
A trained school active shooter response plan significantly reduces the time it takes to react, ensuring that staff and students can quickly implement safety measures to protect themselves.
Knowing there is a well-developed plan in place provides peace of mind and confidence to staff and students, allowing for a more focused and calm approach during a potential crisis.
Through proactive measures, such as lockdown procedures, evacuation routes, and barricading techniques, a trained response plan can significantly reduce the number of casualties and injuries during an active shooter event.
A trained response plan includes protocols for effective communication and coordination with local law enforcement, ensuring a swift and organized response to neutralize the threat as quickly as possible.
Our team of expert consultants has supports schools in creating enhanced emergency response strategies and the essential infrastructure needed for effective action during crisis situations.
Every emergency response planning project begins with a thorough evaluation, allowing our team to understand the school's unique features, current emergency response measures, and the condition of existing infrastructure. This initial phase includes a physical review of the school’s emergency communication systems, exit routes, shelter options for hazardous situations, gathering points, and other relevant factors.
After the evaluation is complete, a detailed report summarizing the findings is provided to the school, along with recommended enhancements crucial for the creation of updated emergency response plans and protocols."
Once the necessary enhancements have been pinpointed and a remediation strategy is set in motion, our consultant collaborates with the school's leadership to develop a comprehensive all-hazard Emergency Response Plan, or refine existing plans as needed. This phase typically involves organizing the Emergency Response Team, clarifying roles and responsibilities, creating better emergency communication workflows, identifying safety areas (such as assembly locations, rooms for shelter-in-place, and severe weather shelters), and drafting detailed, event-specific emergency procedures to ensure optimal efficiency, safety, and clarity.
When all critical procedures have been established and are ready to be shared, our consulting support team creates a press-ready classroom flipchart, tailored to align with the school's specific emergency response strategy.
No matter how well-crafted the emergency plans and preparations are, they won’t be effective unless school staff are equipped to act for their own safety and the protection of students during crises. Once the school's key policies and procedures have been finalized and approved, our consultant provides in-person training sessions to educate the faculty on the updates to the school's emergency response plan, such as the structure of the emergency response team and communication systems, as well as essential actions for critical incidents like active shooter events, bomb threats, and procedures for reuniting students with their families. For middle and high schools, the training extends to include how to identify and report potential threats and concerning behaviors.
Beyond training for the faculty, a dedicated tabletop exercise is held for emergency response team members to delve into the nuanced aspects of the revised procedures and clarify the responsibilities of each team member.
The Vidar Active Shooter Apprehension & Protection (ASAP) Program is designed to prevent active shooter scenarios with a strategic combination of deterrence, monitoring, and response measures.
