NFPA Invites Authorities To Get Real World Active Shooter Insights And Learn Unified Command Strategies During Free ASHER Program

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is hosting a free active shooter/hostile event program for emergency managers, policymakers, fire, police, emergency medical services (EMS), school officials and facility managers in San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday, June 18, 2019.

Active shooter program

Attendees will benefit from a half-day public session that will feature keynote speaker Michele Gay, Co-Founder of Safe & Sound Schools, who lost her daughter during the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, in which 26 people were shot and killed, including 20 children in the age group of six and seven years old, along with six adult staff members.

Those who attend will get an overview of NFPA 3000(PS), Standard for an Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) program, the world’s first standard to help communities with hostile event preparedness, response and recovery and insights from a diverse panel of subject matter experts who developed this first-of-its-kind guidance.

Attendees will be get complimentary access to two active shooter and preparedness educational sessions

ASHER program

Attendees will also be granted complimentary access to two relevant active shooter and preparedness educational sessions, which are part of the 2019 NFPA Conference & Expo at the Henry B. González Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas, USA.

“Safety is something we all say we want – but when it comes down to the realities of what it takes to keep people safe, we often turn away because it’s uncomfortable, expensive, or may cause us to get into arguments,” said Michele Gay, adding “We need community leaders to work together, and our policy makers to champion, endorse, and support collaboration.”

Countering rising active shooting incidents

The tragic active shooting incidents in Poway, California; Charlotte, North Carolina and Highlands Ranch, Colorado, in just the last two weeks, are tragic reminders of just how important it is for an even broader range of officials to be more proactive, collaborative and vigilant now more than ever before.

While the three original active shooter symposia that the National Fire Protection Association hosted in Massachusetts last fall with the governor’s office were well-attended by police, fire, EMS, school officials, and policy makers, the upcoming NFPA Texas program works to include others who may be involved in holistic planning, including emergency managers who are tasked with unifying stakeholders and facility managers who know buildings and building plans best.

NFPA 3000 standard

In May 2018, the National Fire Protection Association released NFPA 3000

In May 2018, the National Fire Protection Association released NFPA 3000 after receiving a request from an Orange County, Florida Fire Chief, whose department responded to the Pulse Night Club massacre in Orlando.

In response, more than 50 representatives from law enforcement, the fire service, emergency medical services, hospitals, emergency management, private security, private business, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Justice, and other disciplines came together to develop the 20-chapter framework for helping communities with holistic strategies.

Addressing ASHER program benchmarks

In addition to the free hostile event session in San Antonio, NFPA is conducting a limited-space, deeper dive for up to 70 participants in the afternoon. The hands-on, three-hour workshop presents a scenario, guides participants through high-level coordination, addresses ASHER program benchmarks and looks closely at recovery, the most enduring aspect of these devastating incidents. Space is limited.

The fee for the exclusive afternoon NFPA workshop is US$ 250 per person and participants will receive a copy of NFPA 3000 standard. Pre-registration for attendees is required for both the free program as well as the smaller afternoon workshop.