I spent part of Wednesday afternoon watching yet another school shooting unfold on live television – this time in Broward . As these horrible, senseless events have become routine, it is clear that they are not confined to any one location or environment. Firefighters and EMS providers must be trained, equipped and mentally prepared to respond quickly to active shooter situations.
Key takeaway points include: 1. TRAIN FOR THE WORST.
Tabletop and walk through MCI exercises may be mundane, but they absolutely contribute to force readiness. Operational plans are great, but are of no use if they are forgotten or overlooked during an actual event. Several video clips show triage and treatment sites set up several blocks from the active site, indicating that an operational plan was implemented quickly.