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Active Shooter – How to Respond

 

Run, Hide, Fight – Active Shooter Protocols

Good practices for coping with an active shooter situation:

  1. Be aware of your surroundings.
  2. Take note of the two nearest exits in any facility you visit.
  3. If you are in an office, stay in the office and secure the door.
  4. If you are in a hallway, get into a room and secure the door.
  5. As a last resort, attempt to take the active shooter down. When the shooter is at close range and you cannot flee, your chance of survival is much greater if you try to incapacitate the individual.
  6. Behaviors to look for in an active shooter (review Department of Homeland Security [DHS] link below in references).

**Call 911 only when it is safe to do so**

How to respond when law enforcement arrives:

  1. Remain calm and follow officers’ instructions.
  2. Put down any items in your hands (i.e., bags, jackets).
  3. Immediately raise hands and spread fingers.
  4. Keep hands visible at all times.
  5. Avoid making quick movements toward officers such as holding onto them for safety.
  6. Avoid pointing, screaming, and/or yelling.
  7. Do not stop to ask officers for help or direction when evacuating, just proceed in the direction from which officers are entering the premises.

Training your staff for an active shooter situation:

  1. Create an Emergency Action Plan (EAP).
    1. Implement training exercises based off the EAP.
  2. Preparedness and Prevention.
    1. DHS Active Shooter Situation – Options to Consider video –  https://youtu.be/yz5P2wy4X4o.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What are some considerations to help you be prepared to react appropriately in an active shooter situation on the fireline? At the Incident Command Post (ICP)?
  2. Do you know the location of the closest Law Enforcement?
  3. What about at ICP or Helibase?
    1. Does your Incident Management Team or module have an EAP that addresses the potential active shooter scenario?
    2. If an active shooter situation occurs at ICP, do you have the Security Manager’s number, so they can immediately send the closest Law Enforcement Officer, or do you call Communications on the radio?
Category
Firefighter Health & First Aid


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NWCG Latest Announcements

2025 NWCG Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), PMS 461, Now Available

Date: February 27, 2025
Contact: Incident Operations Subcommittee

NWCG is excited to announce that the 2025 NWCG Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), PMS 461, is now available. Visit NWCG's website to learn about the major updates and changes in the 2025 version of the IRPG. The NWCG Guia de Respuesta de Incidente de Bolsillo (GRI), PMS 461-ES is available electronically and will be available from Great Basin Cache by early summer 2025.

All hard copy materials, including the IRPG, are ordered through the Great Basin Cache (GBK). Information on the ordering process can be found in the National Fire Equipment System (NFES) Catalog.

References:

2025 IRPG Information 

NWCG Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), PMS 461 

NWCG Guia de Respuesta de Incidente de Bolsillo (GRI), PMS 461-ES 

NWCG NFES Catalog - Part 2: Publications, PMS 449-2 

2025 Professional Reading Program

Date: February 18, 2025
Contact: Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program (WFLDP)

The Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program is announcing the 2025 Professional Reading list! The goal of the annual reading list is to promote the reading and discussion of the books throughout the year.

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References:

Professional Reading Program

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Date: February 5, 2025
Contact: Julie Bennett, Incident Business Committee Chair

The Incident Business Committee (IBC) is requesting volunteers for a new task group to revise the 1981 version of the Property Loss or Damage Report, OF 289 and create an incident replacement job aid. The volunteers may be recruited from within or outside the Geographic Area Incident Business Committees.

References:

IBC Memorandum 25-02

IBC Correspondence

2025 Updates to the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1

Date: February 4, 2025
Contact: Incident and Position Standards Committee

The NWCG Incident and Position Standards Committee has updated the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1. 

These updates address changes to incident position names and requirements for qualification, training, and experience. Updates related to the implementation of Complex Incident Management (CIM) are also included.  

The NWCG Wildland Fire Position Qualification Flowchart, PMS 308 has also been updated to reflect the recent changes.

References:

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1

NWCG Wildland Fire Position Qualification Flowchart, PMS 308

NWCG Memo: 2025-01 January 2025 Updates to the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Positions Qualifications, PMS 310-1