Are You Prepared for an Active Shooter Situation?

Have you ever considered what you would do if you encountered an active shooter—or someone threatening you with a gun—out in the field? Do you have a plan?

These reports have helpful insights.

• Check out the lessons in this recent RLS that tells the story of what happened when an active shooter walked onto a helibase. After this incident, the Helitack Crew developed a “Threat Response Briefing Card”:

“He then pulled a handgun out and pointed it at Josh.”

“The crew’s actions, situational awareness, warnings to other resources, and the ability of the Captain to remain calm while he believed his life was in danger, may have saved lives.”

Active Shooter on a Helibase RLS (2021)

• The Southwest Area Incident Management Team 4 recently shared this RLS that includes active shooter protocol and de-escalation tactics:

“Firecrackers vs. gunshots: Think gunshots not firecrackers!”

Active Shooter Awareness for Incident Management Teams (2021)

• This July a fire lookout taking the weather was shot at by a local landowner:

“Night Division and TFLD's then told all night resources to stay out of the area and took all resources to an adjoining Division to provide for their safety.”

Bootleg Fire Lookout Shot At (2021 SAFENET Submission)

• On this incident, two fire lookouts were shot at by two individuals with a scoped rifle. The firefighters quickly removed their yellow Nomex shirts and went single-file across open ground:

“. . . one of the two individuals put a scoped rifle on a bi-pod and looked up the mountain toward them . . .”

Miriam Fire Shooting Incident RLS (2018)