The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, as the Nation’s risk advisor, encourages the critical infrastructure community to prepare for active shooter incidents, especially given recent increases in gun-related violence.

Seasonal patterns in criminal activity show that violence involving weapons tends to increase in the summer and fall months. More people gathering in public places in warmer weather over longer daylight hours likely contributes to these patterns. The lifting of COVID-19 restrictions across the nation and the heightened threat environment across the United States may exacerbate these trends even further this year.

CISA offers a multitude of online resources, virtual and in-person training opportunities, and direct assistance as part of its comprehensive Active Shooter Preparedness Program to support public safety agencies’ capacity-building efforts to prepare for, mitigate and respond to active shooter incidents. The program includes:

• Active Shooter Preparedness resources targeted to all stakeholders, with an extensive collection targeted to first responders specifically.
• Insider Threat Mitigation resources, since active shooter incidents have sometimes been perpetrated by an insider to the organization.
• Free independent study training, hosted by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI), IS-907 Active Shooter: What You Can Do and additional training opportunities for law enforcement.
• Two-hour, instructor-led webinars that inform organizations about the active shooter threat and how to create effective emergency action plans. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these webinars are offered in place of in-person workshops.
• CISA Protective Security Advisors, subject matter experts located across the country, offering direct support in identifying potential vulnerabilities and corresponding protective measures.

Additionally, CISA just released the 2021 edition of a comprehensive resource, Planning and Response to an Active Shooter: An Interagency Security Committee Policy and Best Practices Guide. This document outlines new policy requirements for all nonmilitary federal facilities within in the Executive Branch of the government and provides guidance for all who might be involved, including law enforcement agencies, facility tenants and the public. While not a policy requirement for state, local, tribal, and territorial agencies, these agencies may also benefit from this planning guidance.

For additional information regarding the Active Shooter Preparedness Program and Active Shooter Preparedness Workshops, contact asworkshop@cisa.dhs.gov.  For information regarding an upcoming webinar for your area or to connect with your local Protective Security Advisor, contact central@cisa.dhs.gov