ACTIVE SHOOTER
Active Shooter Preparation
A
ctive shooters in the
workplace: it’s not a pleasant
topic, but ignoring this
threat is not the answer. An
active shooter is defined
as an individual actively engaged in
killing or attempting to kill people in a
confined and populated area. According
to the US Occupational Health and Safety
Administration’s general duty clause,
employers must provide a workplace free
of recognized hazards, including violent
incidents that may occur without warning.
The FBI reports that 2017 was the most
fatal year in the United States for active
shooters of all types (not just limited to
the workplace) since the agency first began
recording these statistics in 2000. In 2017,
there were 30 active shooting incidents in
the United States which led to a total of 138
deaths—the first time the death toll for a
single year exceeded 90.
According to Claudia A. Costa, a partner
with Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani LLP,
who spoke at a recent Professional Liability
Underwriting Society conference, the
number of lawsuits filed against employers
in connection with active shooters is on the
rise. Claims against employers can allege a
wide range of infractions, including failure
to train workers properly, negligent hiring
and retention practices, and tolerance of
bullying. With tragic events like the Sandy
Hook school shooting in 2012 and the
San Bernardino shooting in 2015 drawing
widespread media attention, employers have
begun to take a closer look at strengthening
training and means of protection. is no room for concerns about “fighting
fairly” in this situation.
How can you, as an employer, make your
workplace as safe as possible as part of your
fiduciary responsibility to employees? By
their very nature, some businesses—say
public convenience stores versus tightly
controlled offices—are more difficult
to protect than others. While it may be
unrealistic to lock down your business or
require identification from everyone who
enters, there are reasonable measures you
can take to better prepare your business for
an active shooter attack. Atlas Insurance Agency conducts annual
training on workplace violence and active
shooters for its own employees and can
conduct similar training for clients. Contact
our agency at (808) 533-8732 to learn more
about these trainings and other offerings. +
The Honolulu Police Department follows
the recommendations developed by
the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid
Response Training (ALERRT) Center at
Texas State University, which conducts
training for law enforcement officials on
the proper responses to active shooters or
other violent offenders. Here are their three
recommendations:
AVOID: Pay attention to your surroundings,
develop an exit plan, and move away from
the source of the threat as quickly as possible.
DENY: When it is difficult or impossible to
get away, keep distance between you and
the source, and create as many barriers as
possible between you and the source. Turn
off the lights and remain quiet and out of
sight.
DEFEND: If you cannot Avoid or Deny, be
prepared to defend yourself aggressively, and
be firmly committed to your actions. There
BY: DEVIN FUKUNAGA
ATLAS INSURANCE AGENCY
Devin Fukunaga has over 20 years of safety
and training experience. He has held numerous
positions in this field, including Manager of
Security Services, Education Specialist, Fire
Marshall, and Safety Coordinator. He was
also the Training Center Coordinator liaison
to the American Heart Association (AHA)
and the Healthcare Association of Hawaii
(HAH) hospital representative. Devin earned
his Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences from
the University of Hawaii—West Oahu and his
Master’s degree in Public Administration from
the University of Hawaii.
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