Quick Takeaway from San Bernardino Mass Shooting

December 2, 2015 was a routine training event for the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health (DPH) Environmental Health Services Division (EHS). Seventy-two team members attended the event at a conference center near their office. One team member (male perpetrator) left early, went home to get his wife (female perpetrator), and returned tactically dressed and heavily armed. They were inspired by a radical Islamic organization and killed 14 people; 22 people were wounded. Almost half of the EHS Division was killed or wounded.

Initially, County officials contracted CPARS Consulting Inc. to conduct a formal review and write a report to document response and recovery efforts. Later (2018), San Bernardino County released The 12/2/15 Terrorist Attack Legacy Report. The purpose of the Legacy Report was to “…share information to strengthen the preparedness and resilience of other communities.” In other words, San Bernardino County shared best practices and lessons learned to help the rest of us.

The report was divided into the six categories of Emergency Protocols, Operational Response, Communications, Employee Support, Continuity of Operations, and Organizational and Financial Recovery. Key findings were:

1. Key decisions were continually re-evaluated and adjusted because initial information kept changing.

2.  Lockdown procedures varied considerably among DPH offices. In some cases customers were allowed to stay; in others, customers were asked to leave. Further, some offices recalled field personnel, and other offices sent field personnel home. Lockdown had to be redefined.

3. Emergency plans must be developed and maintained; compliance must be assured through training, exercises, audits, and enforcement.

4. Use the Incident Command System (ICS); self-directed actions without the ICS structure often fail.

5.  Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) is key in the recovery process. The shooter was a co-worker, which added to the devastating emotional effects of the actual shooting.   

6. A mass notification/communications system that reaches all employees is essential. Everyone has to get the word quickly.

7. A robust Continuity of Operations plan is important because a mass shooting greatly affects an organization’s ability to maintain key functions. 

Key Takeaway:

The well-organized report includes several matrices that accentuate key findings and lessons. A blog is too brief to do justice to the Legacy Report. However, we hope our highlights entice you to read the full document. By the way, thank you San Bernardino County for sharing your hard-earned wisdom.

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About Hank Christen

Dr. Hank Christen was an Atlanta Fire Department Battalion Chief, Emergency Manager, and Director of Emergency Services for Okaloosa County, Florida. He has responded to multiple disasters in his career and was the Incident Commander for Hurricane Erin, Opal, Earl, and Georges, and responded to Hurricane Andrew (Miami), and Hurricane Marilyn (U.S. Virgin Islands). He co-authored eight books on crisis management and the incident command system in the disaster response field. Dr. Christen has served on a team that evaluated a biological non-traditional syndromic surveillance program during the 2000 George Bush Presidential Inauguration. Dr. Christen has also responded with a Disaster Medical Assistance Team (FL-1 DMAT) to the 2001 World Trade Center Attack, and served as team commander during the team’s deployment to the Atlanta Olympic Bombing. Additionally. Dr. Christen has served on a panel that evaluated the medical response to the Boston Marathon Bombing in 2014. Dr. Hank Christen EdD currently is responsible for developing curriculum, technical writing, and instructing courses with Active Shooter 360, LLC. The materials developed and taught by Dr. Christen include Active Shooter Awareness, Threat Intervention Practices, Incident Command System (ICS), Crisis Decision Making, and Emergency Operations Planning.

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