U.S. Security Associates (USA) rolled out a new training catalog that requires mandatory completion of their new Active Shooter Training module for all 45,000 of their security officers. The security company has long maintained an active shooter scenario can happen anywhere, at any time and the best defense lies in preparation.
Harold Underdown, Senior Vice President of Security Force Development at U.S. Security Associates and retired Navy SEAL cited the 2014 FBI report, which revealed that the U.S. sees an active shooter situation occurring on average every four weeks. Underdown advised “a search of current events will quickly demonstrate those findings are dated. With 45% of active shooter incidents occurring in the commercial sector, nearly 25% occurring in the education sector and the remaining incidents occurring in government, religious, residential and healthcare sectors the reality truly is, it can happen anywhere and anytime. Our security officers, most of who are unarmed, are tasked with protecting the clients we serve in every single one of those sectors and it is critical they are prepared to react appropriately. Over the last year, the USA training academy focused on creating, developing and deploying an active shooter training module that prepares our security officers for an active shooter crisis event based on the most current research and technology.”
Recognizing that preparedness of not only the security officers they employ, but of the clients they are committed to protecting, USA offers public sector active shooter response training and simulation exercises compatible with their training module. In early February, Underdown, along with Brian Gimlett, Senior Vice President, conducted an Active Shooter Training class for the building managers of several commercial high rise office buildings in Manhattan, NY. The client’s feedback was exceedingly positive and requested additional next steps to have further training for their other employees. In October, William Besse, Vice President of the Consulting, Investigations and International (CI&I) division at USA, conducted an overall Crisis Management and Active Shooter Training course for the faculty and Emergency Response Team at a charter school in Westlake, TX. The town of Westlake later incorporated information from the session into their overall Crisis and Emergency Plan.
Highlighting the need and value of Active Shooter Training in the public and government sectors, Don Anderson Jr., Director of Operations for the CI&I division, regularly conducts armed and unarmed response training sessions and isolation drills for a variety of groups in California that include corporations, local police departments, and school district employees and leaders. Following the training presentation, which covers a range of relevant subject matter, he provides practical application of the material with live simulation exercises using simunitions and blank rounds. He explained, “utilizing Simunitions technology has the ability to validate or invalidate current tactical training. It allows us to place individuals in realistic, stressful situations where they have to perceive and evaluate the situation and formulate a plan. Repeated exposure to stressful, realistic training will condition individuals to minimize the effects of that stress and improve their decision making during real crisis situations.“
