It’s looking like a typical day. First the rush of people arriving, then a few stragglers, and now the normal hum of a regular schedule underway. And then the intercom sounds. A staff member has encountered a suspicious situation, a lockdown is called, and you can hear shouting. Would you be ready?
The goal of preparedness is to avert situations that could cause harm and to be ready to respond if an incident does occur. Past mass casualty incidents have shown that it is the people onsite who will be the first responders.
The first critical seconds of an incident provide the best opportunity to reduce the loss of human life once an incident occurs. Being ready to act requires having made safety-related decisions in advance, having procedures in place to respond quickly and minimize harm, and having properly trained personnel who are empowered to act quickly in an emergency.
In this lesson you will learn about actions that can be used to enhance safety and factors to consider when planning for response.
IS-360: Preparing for Mass Casualty Incidents: A Guide for Schools, Higher Education, and Houses of Worship
Lesson 4: During an Incident: Implementing Established Response Procedures
