Lone-actor gun attacks against populated areas such as arenas and crowded places such as schools can challenge first responders and those organizations or educational institutions that are impacted. Now think about increasing the number of attackers and adding explosive devices, more weapons and other arms. Consider a Paris or Brussels style attack in the heart…
On October 1, 2018, a shooter from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel opened fire upon a concert crowd fenced in a 15-acre open air lot. 1,100+ rounds were fired in a span of 10 minutes. 58 people died, excluding the shooter, 851 were injured of which 422 were gunshot wounds. 14 of…
58 people died and over 500 were injured during a music festival in Las Vegas on October 1st, 2017. A lone actor shot at festival goers from the Mandalay Bay Hotel room, a scenario even the most seasoned security experts couldn’t have predicted. In this episode we talk to a security advisor James DeMeo who…
Being able to create calm during a major emergency is not easy, Michael Brown will attest to that. It’s what you do to ensure you learn those lessons and there are always lessons-to-be-learned from major crises. Recent hurricanes, cyber-attacks, wildfires, and the mass shooting in Las Vegas are challenging situations that needed to be managed….
In today’s multi-billion dollar sports and entertainment industry, the need for ongoing event staff training cannot be underscored. The threats, challenges, and vulnerabilities continue for those entrusted with duty of care responsibilities within the vertical. Furthermore, when discussing safeguarding the confined space, i.e. stadium, venue and arenas where large crowds are gathered in densely…
Guest blogger: Brad Cole, CFE & LPI, Executive Director & Senior Coordinator, K9 First Responders, Inc. (K9FR) A crisis unfolds. A hurricane hits your facility. You prepare and respond. So far… under control. A natural gas line ruptures, fire starts and an explosion occurs. 5 dead and 10 seriously injured. A crisis becomes a…
Forty percent of businesses do not reopen after a disaster and another 25 percent fail within one year according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Having a more resilient community requires preparedness and that means work! In this interview with Michael Morlan of Two Rivers Emergency Management, we discussed some of the major concerns…
As painful as it is to replay in our minds the recent terror bombing in Manchester, crisis planners are obligated to study it. Two lessons jump out: Lesson 1: Outside perimeters, by definition, are not secure Without having to pass through any sort of security screening, terrorists view outside perimeters of buildings, auditoriums, stadiums, crowded…
The United States and Canada have a long history of working together to ensure that, should there be a major incident, frameworks exist to enable joint response, across the international boundary. In 2016, total bilateral trade in goods and services exceeded $635 billion USD, a large portion of which occurs cross border via trucking and…
There are many skills and personal traits that leaders should have in everyday business. During a crisis, a leader needs to have a range of specific traits that are crucial to the management of the incident. Here are three of those traits based on my personal experience from both the military and corporate environments: 1…