We at WaterISAC express our condolences to the City of Virginia Beach, Virginia, where an active shooter incident on Friday, May 31 claimed the lives of 12 people. All but one of the victims were employees of the Department of Public Utilities or Department of Public Works. The attack was perpetrated by a city employee, who had resigned earlier that day. He was killed during a confrontation with police. A motive for the attack has not been disclosed.
Mindful of the fact that this tragic event just occurred, we are also aware that it might prompt concerns among WaterISAC members. With the hope that events such as this never occur again, we offer the following resources to prevent, respond to, and recover from such attacks.
Prevention
- Making Prevention a Reality: Identifying, Assessing, and Managing the Threat of Targeted Attack (FBI)
- Pathway to Violence Video (DHS)
Response
- Emergency Action Plan for Active Shooter – Guide (DHS)
- Emergency Action Plan for Active Shooter – Template (DHS)
- The videos below discuss what to do if confronted with an active shooter scenario (both videos are available via YouTube)
- “Options for Consideration” (DHS)
- “RUN.HIDE.FIGHT” (Ready Houston)
Recovery
Training and Exercises
- Active Shooter: What You Can Do – Independent Study Course (FEMA)
- Active Shooter Preparedness In-Person Workshops (DHS)
Additional resources are described and linked to in DHS’s “Security of Soft Targets and Crowded Places – Resource Guide,” which was last updated in April 2019 (available on the WaterISAC portal). DHS’s “Active Shooter Preparedness” and the FBI’s “Active Shooter Resources” webpages also contain information describing the active shooter threat and other products and services for partners to access.
