According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 203 mass shootings in the United States in 2022. That’s an average of 40 shootings a month. Recently, shootings occurred in Buffalo, New York, at a supermarket on May 14th, and another on May 15th at a church in California.
When events like these happen, you may think the crisis is over once the threat has been neutralized. But what happens next? How will the Buffalo supermarket adjust to becoming an active crime scene? How will the California church recover and regain trust from its congregants? This is called the “crisis after the crisis.”
What happens after an active shooting event?
The Location Becomes an Active Crime Scene and is Closed
After the incident, you’ll engage in assessments with local law enforcement like accounting for all individuals, and your location will be closed and considered an active crime scene. Be prepared to lose profits and delegate any immediate projects to corporate if applicable. Communicate to employees and the public that your location is closed for the time being. During this time, create a transition plan that details when your location will resume normal operations.
The Press Arrives
After the incident, you’ll likely receive national attention from the press. They may visit the site or call for more information. To navigate this crisis appropriately, you’ll need to communicate well, quickly, and accurately to the press. Emphasize compassion and share condolences with the victims and their families while setting limits with the press – don’t talk about anything you don’t want to.
People are Traumatized and Need Support
The staff, victim’s families, customers/congregants, the injured, and others on the scene need support during this emotional time.
A Family Assistance Center (FAC) can help communicate with families and loved ones and provide grief counseling. You’ll need to coordinate and staff this effort. Also be prepared to speak to and update family members yourself. To have proper communication, enlist the help of language assistants and sign language interpreters.
Grief counseling is also needed for the injured, those who knew the victims, and others who need the assistance.
Prevent Crises with Active Shooter Preparedness Training
Surviving the “crisis after the crisis” is possible, though no workplace wants to go through this. You can potentially prevent an active shooter event at your workplace with TPOP’s active shooter preparedness and verbal de-escalation training. Your staff will learn how to recognize concerning behaviors, report them, de-escalate situations, survive an active shooter event using the Run, Hide, Fight methodology, and much more.
Let’s talk today about your training needs.