Active Shooter - Rapid Response and Technology

The conversation surrounding active shooter situations seems to be reoccurring at an alarming rate. So far this year there has been at least 236 mass shootings. Those of us who attended the RISKWORLD conference in Atlanta, Georgia no doubt felt the anxiety of being near an active shooter incident. There were, however, lessons learned from the incident which were mentioned in Hilary Tuttle ’s article for?RMmagazine. Looking back on rapid response communication, Hillary’s article contained comments from Gary LaBranche, FASAE, CAE discussing how the communication methods had limitations. Although alerts were sent to some 9000 event goers, they would need to be actively checking emails or have the event app alerts on to receive notification of the incident. From a risk management standpoint, finding a solution to these communication challenges is of great concern. At its root, one question that begs an answer is: What other resources are available to assist in successful rapid response communication? Enter the WEA, or Wireless Emergency Alert System.

The WEA launched in 2012 and has since been used to warn the public over 78,000 times (FCC, 2023). According to Rosenworcel (2023), over the last decade more than 130 children have been saved from harm, in addition to numerous others who were saved from fires and floods by way of shelter and evacuation notices. The?WEA system?covers critical emergency alert situations. The system sends alerts regarding public safety emergencies such as severe weather, missing children, or evacuation notices from authorized national, state, or local government authorities. The WEA alerts are sent through FEMA's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) to participating wireless carriers, who then push the alerts to compatible mobile devices in the affected area. Alerts are broadcast to the geographic area affected by the emergency. James Wiley Deputy Chief, Federal Communications Commission, informed me that a notice of proposal for the Wireless Emergency Alert System was recently issued. This proposed rule addresses important elements of the system including, language support, thumbnail images, speed, and reliability improvements. In addition to the proposal for the system updates, there was also a section addressing the addition of active shooter alerts (see Section B.28).?

Speaking with local citizens and professionals there is a difference of opinions for use of the system in active shooter situations. One concern is the possibility of revealing the location of a sheltered person when the alert sound on a mobile device is triggered. Another concern is that of increased chaos once the information is disseminated. On the other side of the aisle, arguments for use of the system look at the benefits for alerting the public. One such example cited was the incident in North Texas when civilians who were unaware of the active shooter were headed towards the area of the shooting unknowingly. Another example was the incident in Atlanta, GA where the suspect fled the scene of the initial attack. Property risk managers find value in knowing that an active shooter incident is occurring in their vicinity. With rapid notification they can lock down their respective facilities to prevent entry. The proposed rule notification gives both the public and professionals alike the opportunity to voice their opinions.?

With the ever-growing gun crisis, it is imperative that we explore all options available to manage the risk of active shooter incidents. I am not naive to think that the WEA system is the perfect solution. There are always pros and cons to every resolution, the WEA is no different. Speaking with risk experts and colleagues, the consensus however is we must become comfortable having the conversation regarding active shooter situations. Many believe that the WEA system has the potential to be an even more powerful tool that is used to protect the public. With the proposed system improvements there is valid reason to believe that is true. We have already seen the benefits of the system over the past decade. Whether or not the WEA is an answer for active shooter situations is debatable, but nonetheless worth discussing. Too many lives are at stake not to.

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