Category: Active Shooter Checklist

AsimChecklist
Active Shooter Incident Management

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C3 Updates Active Shooter Checklist to Version 3.0

Active Shooter Incident Management Checklist

Rev 3.0 Jul 2019

ASIM Checklist version 3.0 simplifies Incident Command transitions for Law Enforcement, fully implements the “I Love U Guys” Standard Reunification Method and adopts Bomb Cover and Bomb Go IED terminology.

C3 Pathways is pleased to announce the public release of Revision 3.0 Jul 2019 of its validated Active Shooter Incident Management Checklist for use in managing Law Enforcement | Fire | EMS response to Active Shooter Events.

ASIM Checklist version 3.0 simplifies Incident Command transitions for Law Enforcement, fully implements the “I Love U Guys” Standard Reunification Method (SRM) and adopts Bomb Cover and Bomb Go IED terminology.

Critical to this update is the elimination of law enforcement changing radio callsigns from Command to Contact 1 or Tactical in the initial arrival sequence. Notable changes include the addition of a full Reunification sub checklist and combining all common practices into a Multi-Discipline subchecklist.

The changes have been tested and validated through exercises and best practices. Accompanying the updated Checklist is a full update of the Checklist Help Guide to Revision 3.0. Changes are listed below and may also be found in the ASIM Checklist Help Guide Revision History.

The ASIM Checklist phone app now has a one-time quick registration form that automates handling of Copyright permission for usage.

Checklist Rev 3.0

START HERE primary checklist
  • -LE First arriving sub checklist: Added item Radio ID: CONTACT 1
  • -LE 2nd-4th arriving sub checklist: Deleted item Form CONTACT TEAM; Changed item Communicate with COMMAND to Communicate with CONTACT 1
  • -LE “5th Man” sub checklist: Deleted item Designate First LE as CONTACT 1; Added item Radio ID: TACTICAL
  • -First LE Supervisor sub checklist: Changed item Designate “5th Man” as TACTICAL GROUP to Set COMMAND POST location
    • Law Enforcement primary checklist
    • -INTELLIGENCE SECTION sub checklist: Changed name from INTELLIGENCE SECTION to INTELLIGENCE / INVESTIGATIONS SECTION
    • -Changed Consider REUNIFICATION GROUP to Consider REUNIFICATION BRANCH
    • -Changed order of items
      • COMMON primary checklist: Changed name from COMMON to MULTI-DISCIPLINE
      • -LEAD PIO (JOINT INFORMATION CENTER) sub checklist: Added item Announce Reunification site when authorized
      • -Added new REUNIFICATION SERVICES GROUP sub checklist
      • -Added new REUNIFICATION ACCOUNTABILITY GROUP sub checklist
      • -Added new REUNIFICATION ASSEMBLY GROUP sub checklist
        • Improvised Explosive Device (IED) primary checklist
        • -DISCOVERY or DETONATION sub checklist: Changed item Announce “IED [location]” and move clear to Announce “Bomb Cover” or “Bomb Go”; Added items Maintain 5400 scan, NEVER TOUCH Bombs, Bombers are Bombs
        • -CONTACT and RESCUE sub checklist: Changed item Mark and bypass to Mark (Chem Lights) and bypass
        • -EXPOSED VICTIM RESCUE sub checklist: Changed VICTIM to SURVIVOR; Changed item Direct victim movement explicitly to Direct survivor movement explicitly
        • -NO VICTIMS THREATENED sub checklist: Changed VICTIM to SURVIVOR
          • ICS Org Chart Illustration
          • -Deleted item REUNIFICATION GROUP
          • -Added items REUNIFICATION BRANCH, REUNIFICATION STAGING, REUNIFICATION SERVICES GROUP, REUNIFICATION ACCOUNTABILITY GROUP, REUNIFICATION ASSEMBLY GROUP
          • -Changed item INTELLIGENCE SECTION to INTEL / INVESTIGATIONS SECTION
          • -Updated Copyright years

            • Help Guide 3.0

            • -Updated to Checklist rev 3.0
            • -Added, updated content to match Checklist rev 3.0 changes
            • -Changed Improvised Explosive Device (IED) section 5 to include updated information to match checklist changes
            • -Typographical, formatting and editorial corrections
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C3 Updates Active Shooter Checklist to Version 2.0

Active Shooter Incident Management Checklist 

Rev 2.0 02/20/2018

C3 Pathways is pleased to announce the public release of Revision 2.0 2/2018 of its validated Active Shooter Incident Management Checklist for use in managing an integrated law enforcement and fire/EMS response to an Active Shooter Event. This update incorporates the addition of PIO/JIC and numerous changes based on emerging best practices and lessons learned. Accompany the updated Checklist is a full update of the Checklist Help Guide to Revision 2.0. Accompany the updated Checklist is a full update of the Checklist Help Guide to Revision 2.0.

Checklist Revision 2.0

START HERE primary checklist
  • – LE “5th Man” sub checklist: Changed item Get situational awareness to Request additional resources
  • – Second LE Supervisor sub checklist: Added item Assign LEAD PIO to establish JOINT INFORMATION CENTER
  • – First FD/EMS Supervisor sub checklist: Changed item Check in at Command Post to Go to COMMAND POST; deleted item Get briefing (verbal)
Law Enforcement primary checklist
  • – LAW ENFORCEMENT BRANCH sub checklist: deleted Support RESCUE TASK FORCE
  • – TACTICAL GROUP sub checklist: Added item Prioritize 1Threat, 2Rescue, 3Clear; Changed items Update Hot Zone and Inner Perimeter to Update Hot and Warm Zones, Report areas suitable for rescue efforts to Update casualty information to Triage Group
  • –CONTACT TEAM sub checklist: Changed item Suppress threat to Contain or neutralize threat
  • – INTELLIGENCE SECTION sub checklist: Changed item Synthesize and disseminate information to Brief COMMAND, added item Coordinate with Communications Center
Fire/EMS Primary Checklist
  • – MEDICAL BRANCH sub checklist: Changed item Declare MCI level to Request additional resources; moved item Co-locate with LAW ENFORCEMENT BRANCH after Assign TRANSPORT GROUP; deleted item Separate radio channel
  • – TRIAGE GROUP sub checklist: Changed item Establish RESCUE TASK FORCE to Stand-up RESCUE TASK FORCE and moved after Get Briefing (verbal); deleted If possible from Co-locate with TACTICAL GROUP; added item Deploy RESCUE TASK FORCES
  • – RESCUE TASK FORCE sub checklist: Changed items Get briefing (verbal) to Assemble team and equipment, Coordinate casualty evacuation to Ambulance Exchange Point(s) to Coordinate casualty evacuation; deleted items Gather equipment, Get permission to enter Inner Perimeter from TACTICAL GROUP; added items Notify TACTICAL when deploying, If not done, establish Casualty Collection Point(s), Identify Ambulance Exchange Point and confirm with TACTICAL;
  • – TRANSPORT GROUP sub checklist: Added items Co-locate with Tactical Group, Transport casualties from Ambulance Exchange Point(s); added item Separate radio channel; deleted items If Casualty Collection Point(s), consider how to evacuate, Establish Ambulance Exchange Point(s), If needed, establish Loading Zone;
Other changes
  • – Changed Intelligence/Investigations primary checklist to a sub checklist and moved under Law Enforcement primary checklist
  • – Staging sub checklist: Deleted Separate radio channel; changed Keep list of resources to Check-in and list resources
  • – Added LEAD PIO (JOINT INFORMATION CENTER) sub checklist
  • – Added Joint Information Center box to org chart
  • – Updated address and Copyright years

Help Guide Revision 2.0

  • – Updated to Checklist rev 2.0
  • – Added, updated content to match Checklist rev 2.0 changes
  • – Added definition of Complex Coordinated Attack (CCA)
  • – Typographical, formatting and editorial corrections
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C3 Updates Active Shooter Checklist to Version 1.3

Active Shooter Incident Management Checklist 

Rev 1.3 10/15/2015

C3 Pathways is pleased to announce the public release of Revision 1.3 10/2015 of its validated Active Shooter Incident Management Checklist for use in managing an integrated law enforcement and fire/EMS response to an Active Shooter Event. This update incorporates changes based on emerging best practices and lessons learned. Accompany the updated Checklist is a full update of the Checklist Help Guide to Revision 1.3.

Checklist Revision 1.3

  • – Intelligence/Investigations sub checklist: Added Reunification Group and Separate radio channel checklist items
  • – LE 2nd-4th arriving sub checklist: Changed Form-up to Link-up, Move-to Contact Team to Contact Team
  • – Improvised Explosive Device (IED) sub checklist: Changed Moving-to-Contact to Contact
  • – Added Reunification Group box to org chart
  • – Changed † Target staffing footnote EMS to Medical

Help Guide Revision 1.3

  • – Updated to Checklist rev 1.3
  • – Added explanation to RTF Ambulance Exchange Point checklist item, Consider Reunification Group checklist item
  • – Updated and changed Abbreviations, Glossary of Terms, and Reference List
  • – Added, updated content to match Checklist rev 1.3 changes
  • – Typographical, formatting and editorial correction
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C3 Updates Active Shooter Checklist to Version 1.2

Active Shooter Incident Management Checklist 

Rev 1.2 11/2014

C3 Pathways is pleased to announce the public release of Revision 1.2 11/2014 of its validated Active Shooter Incident Management Checklist for use in managing an integrated law enforcement and fire/EMS response to an Active Shooter Event. This update incorporates the addition of a new IED sub checklist and numerous changes based on emerging best practices and lessons learned. Accompany the updated Checklist is a full update of the Checklist Help Guide to Revision 1.2.

Checklist Revision 1.2

  • – Added new Improvised Explosive Device (IED) sub checklist
  • – Changed terminology from victim(s) to casualty(ies)
  • – Changed terminology from Danger Zone to Hot Zone
  • – Intelligence/Investigations sub checklist: moved to main page, deleted checklist items, added 2 checklist items related to information handling
    – 5th Man sub checklist: Added designation checklist item
  • – Contact Team sub checklist: Added Establish CCP checklist item
  • – Triage sub checklist: Added collocate checklist item, get CCP(s); Changed evacuate casualties to coordinate evacuation
  • – Transport sub checklist: Added establish ambulance exchange point; Changed establish loading zone to if needed

Help Guide Revision 1.2

  • – Updated to Checklist rev 1.2
  • – Added new Improvised Explosive Device (IED) section
  • – Updated and changed Abbreviations, Glossary of Terms, and Reference List
  • – Added, updated content to match Checklist rev 1.2 changes
  • – Typographical, formatting and editorial corrections
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C3 Releases Active Shooter Checklist

Active Shooter Incident Management Checklist

A Validated Active Shooter Event Checklist

C3 Pathways is pleased to announce the public release of it’s validated Active Shooter Incident Management Checklist for use in managing an integrated law enforcement and fire/EMS response to an Active Shooter Event.

“This Checklist has been months in research and development, and it is the result of hundreds of man hours of effort by many people,”

says Bill Godfrey, Chief Consultant and President of C3 Pathways.

“More importantly is the effort to validate the Checklist. We didn’t simply want to offer another expert opinion based on assumptions. We wanted something designed with care, tested, and proven to work.”

Bill Godfrey

C3 Pathways is publishing the Checklist to the emergency response community for use with out cost — it’s free! Says Godfrey, “This is important work that only does good if we put into the hands of responders, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.” C3 Pathways will continue to maintain the Checklist and release updates as needed.

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Why the terminology change from “Contact Group” to “Tactical Group?”

The terminology change from “Contact Group” to use “Tactical Group” instead was based on user feedback to improve radio communication. Previously, radio calls required the full use of the assignment name, e.g. “”Contact Team 1 to Contact Group.” Confusion of who was calling whom was observed when multiple Contact Teams were deployed. The terminology change allows the same radio call to be shortened and improve clarity, e.g. “Contact 1 to Tactical.”

Another small but important change was shifting the clearance of the Rescue Task Force(s) into the Inner Perimeter from Law Enforcement Branch to the Tactical Group supervisor. It was observed that the decision to allow entry of the Rescue Task Force(s) was being delegated to the Tactical Group supervisor (formerly Contact Group supervisor) by Law Enforcement Branch in most cases. Having the Rescue Task Force(s) communicate through the LE Branch (or Command) just delayed the deployment. This change also aligns with the IACP policy recommendations for Active Shooter Incidents.

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Are all the Checklist policy issues listed?

No. The Active Shooter Incident Management Checklist focuses on process and not policy, which is why it works well in so many cases. However, policy issues are unavoidable and will vary from one community to another. We’ve listed some of the significant policy issues on the web site for consideration, but it should NOT be considered an all-inclusive and exhaustive list.

Each agency/community is responsible for conducting a thorough policy review prior to using the Active Shooter Incident Management Checklist.

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What about Unified Command?

We used to believe Unified Command was a silver bullet for solving slow integration and response at Active Shooter Incidents. What we found is attempting to establish an immediate Unified Command actually slowed the response for a period of time, then things started happening. Unfortunately, the slow down was very consequential — a 20-30 minute delay in hitting benchmarks.

What follows is an explanation of our position on Unified Command at Active Shooter Events. These comments will make some smile and leave others furious. We understand both reactions. We simply ask you read the entire article before judging.

We are not NIMS/ICS “purists” that believe in rigid compliance above common sense. However, sometimes getting back to the basics and the original intent of NIMS/ICS components can actually be helpful. Most of our team was around when ICS was being introduced to the fire service, and we were all active duty when Unified Command was added as a component to ICS.

The need for Unified Command is driven by multiple entities with legal authority to be in charge of an incident (NIMS). The test for Unified Command is thinking strategically and speaking with one voice through an Operations Section Chief (NIMS). 

When you analyze what is typically referred to as Unified Command at Active Shooter Events, you immediate see some problems in light of these definitions. Obviously, fire/EMS would be hard pressed to demonstrate a legal authority to be in charge of a murder-in-progress or a murder crime scene, but let’s skip over that issue as it’s not the main point.

What is called “Unified Command” at Active Shooter Events is typically a law enforcment IC and a fire/EMS IC who are (hopefully) standing next to and communicating with each other. Both are engaged in operational direction and control of their troops. The two IC’s are thinking operationally, not strategically, and they are not speaking with one voice. What we’ve observed in practice is very little direct communication between the two IC’s; they are just too busy directing their own troops. And that’s a problem. The two IC’s are not engaged in Unified Command. Though they may honestly believe they are a “Unified Command,” they are in fact running two separate command structures and (again, hopefully) standing next to each other. There is not a name for this type of command structure, though our instructors commonly refer to it as “Command by Osmosis” for illustration purposes in training.

There appear to be a number of contributing factors as to why attempting to implement an immediate Unified Command slows down the response, but it is clear that the confusion of two separate commands operating as a faux Unified Command is a contributing factor. Other suspected contributing factors include time to attain situational awareness for each leader inserted in the middle of the ICS structure, communication overload, and a few others.

The Active Shooter Incident Management Checklist DOES NOT EXCLUDE UNIFIED COMMAND. TheChecklist provides a mechansim for standing up — from the first arriving law enforcement officer — an appropriate organizational structure for immediate INTEGRATED response to an Active Shooter Event. Once that structure is in place and the response begins to stabilize, an orderly transition to Unified Command may be accomplished if so desired. The arriving Chief Officers can organize their Unified Command at the strategic level and then accomplish a smooth transition to Unified Command by assigning the current Incident Commander as the Operations Section Chief and assuming Command.

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NIMS / ICS

The Active Shooter Incident Management Checklist is built around the Incident Command System (ICS), and the Checklist is compliant with the National Incident Management System (NIMS). 

Law Enforcement (LE) as an industry has been slow to adopt ICS and even slower to embrace it. The Fire/EMS industry strongly embraces ICS and has been accused of being too rigid about ICS, sometimes to the detriment of incidents. Both criticisms are fair, but the arguments lose sight of the greater good that comes from using the Incident Command System.

When a single law enforcement agency puts multiple officers on a scene, there’s no question in their mind about who is in charge on the scene (usually the ranking officer). This argument is sometimes used to demonstrate why law enforcement doesn’t need ICS, but it actually illustrates that law enforcement is already using the ICS concepts — one person is in charge. C3 Pathways Instructors frequently point out to LE personnel that they already have an Incident Commander, they just didn’t use the name.

Using a generic command system becomes hugely important when multiple agencies are operating on the same scene, and even more important when multiple disciplines are operating on the same scene. Interoperability is not just about radios and talking on the same channel, it also very much about communicating in a common language using common vocabulary and terminology.

The Active Shooter Incident Management Checklist uses standardized terminology to enable multiple agencies and disciplines to work together during the response. The Active Shooter Incident Management Checklist also clearly delineates roles and responsibilities for responders.

It is IMPORTANT to note there are a number of known terminology issues between law enforcement and fire/EMS that may put responders at risk of they are unaware. One of the most significant examples is naming the sides of buildings. Most Fire/EMS agencies letter the sides clockwise with the address side being A. Many law enforcment agencies number the sides of the building counter-clockwise with the address side SOMETIMES being 1. Unaware responders could literally end up in the exact opposite position of where they were intended to be.