RICHMOND, Virginia –
Defense Logistics Agency Installation Support at Richmond, Virginia, will conduct an active shooter exercise Jan. 19 on Defense Supply Center Richmond. The purpose of the exercise is to assess the installation’s response to a critical incident involving an active shooter, while challenging the workforce to properly react to the incident and safeguard employees.
The Department of Homeland Security defines an active shooter as an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area. While the majority of incidents involve the use of firearms, the term “active shooter” may also apply to an individual armed with any other type of weapon (e.g., knife, explosives, etc.).
Employee response to such incidents should be consistent with guidance established by DHS. An article from DLA Installation Support at Richmond titled “What to do in an active shooter event,” provides full details of how employees can respond to various emergency incidents that involve active shooters and includes a useful active shooter training video.
For the Jan. 19 exercise, employees should refrain from the “fight” response in order to ensure the safety of employees and role players. Before the exercise, employees should look to their supervisors for guidance, expected incident responses and for the establishment of accountability, as well as rally points. This will ensure all employees have consistent responses within the organization.
The installation’s emergency personnel’s responsibility to the workforce during critical incidents is to safeguard and prevent further harm to its employees. Since training is only as good as it is realistic, police and fire personnel will respond and conduct their missions at full speed.
DLA employees should expect to see police vehicles, fire trucks and ambulances respond with lights and sirens. In the location of the incident, employees can expect to hear and see blank gunfire from the role players.
We look forward to the exercise and encourage all employees to learn as much as possible. Through training and the application of lessons learned, we will make our installation a safer place.