from Allied Universal

In light of the recent shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue involving multiple fatalities, we want to remind you of some best practices on how to prepare and respond.

Always be vigilant and aware of your environment. Identify any suspicious-looking individuals or situations that are out of the norm, and alert authorities, local law enforcement or a nearby security professional.

Here are some standard tips to handle an armed assailant in your vicinity:

• Protect yourself first by quickly determining the best action to take.
• Evacuate. Escape via the quickest exit.
• Hide. If evacuation is not possible, look for a secure door, office or barrier out of  the shooter’s view. Call 911 to report the incident when safe to do so.
• Take action against the shooter as a last option.
• When law enforcement arrives, try to remain calm and follow officers’ instructions.

We know that every facility likely has an emergency response plan, but this is a good opportunity to revisit it to make updates and familiarize your staff with emergency procedures.

Consider these additional precautions: Conduct training on threat assessments; test your emergency notification systems and decision making process; review any memorandums of understanding with area first responders; lead ongoing drills and assess your facility’s layout and design for security tightening. Also, consider installing metal detectors, bullet-proof glass, closed-circuit cameras or entrance controls in certain parts of a building. Remember to include post-incident planning.

Customers and guests will generally follow the lead of employees and managers, who are more familiar with the layout of a building. Therefore, it is critical that these individuals work together to prepare for any violence that can occur on and around your property.

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