“That could never happen here.” A common belief shared by many of us living in smaller communities when reading about an active shooter event in another city or state. Things like that only happen in big cities with high crime rates, right? That mentality began to shift in the United States after incidents like the tragic Sandy Hook massacre in Newtown, CT, a town with under 30,000 residents.
That same belief was voiced in Moncton, New Brunswick last week when a 24 year old local man went on a rampage and fatally shot 3 Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers, as well as wounded 2 others; leading to a manhunt that lasted over 24 hours. In a town that experienced no homicides in 2011 and 2012, and only averaged one homicide per year between 2006 and 2011, this tragedy reinforces the sad reality that active shooter events can happen anywhere, even in small close-knit communities.
“It’s a lot. Especially for a city like this, where you wouldn’t expect something to happen like this,” one resident told CTV. “You see it all in the States, and you think, ‘No, that could never happen here’ — and sure enough, it happens here.”
Moncton not only has a low homicide rate, but the targeting of police officers in Canada is rare and the killing of three RCMP officers in New Brunswick runs against historical statistical trends. Yet, target police officers is exactly what the gunman did. According to one witness, “He laid in ambush for the police when the calls were made and shot them from an ambush position. He saw and spoke to several civilians and did not shoot at them at all. He was out to get people in uniforms.”
Mayor George LeBlanc said his city has always been a special community and “If it can happen in Moncton, it can happen anywhere.”
3 Important Lessons from the Moncton Shooting Tragedy
Not unlike many close-knit communities where violence is rare, Moncton, NB was not prepared to respond to such a violent act and ensuing manhunt, such as the one which transpired on June 4th. Using news reports of the incident for reference, the following are three important lessons to be learned from this tragedy to help better ensure your community is prepared for a similarly unexpected event:
Issue 1: Almost 2 hours after the first call came in reporting that an armed man wearing camouflage was walking around a Moncton neighborhood with guns, the RCMP went on Twitter to tell residents in affected areas to “remain inside due to an ongoing shooting in the area.”
Lesson: While Social Media is an important component to any emergency notification program, it should be utilized in conjunction with other popular methods of communication; not as the sole means for transmitting vital information such as instructions to shelter-in-place.
Following that initial call of an armed gunman, using a multi-modal Emergency Notification System (ENS) would have enabled officials to instantly send ‘shelter-in-place’ instructions via landlines, cell phones, email and, of course, social media. With the ability to geo-target recipients, authorities would have been able to notify residents within the search radius initially, as well as rapidly provide updates as the event progressed.
Utilizing multiple communication channels ensures that residents receive the message in time to take action. Officials could have also deleted the contact information for the shooter (if he was registered to receive alerts) so he would not be tipped off as to police activities. In this case it was suspected that he was following social media, which proved to be the only source of information for residents.
Had the shooter not had the intention of targeting those in uniform, the number of casualties very likely would have been much higher.
Issue 2: The following morning during a press conference, the RCMP pleaded with the people to not post police movements on social media, as they feared the suspect was monitoring Twitter and Facebook for information.
Lesson: As the incident in Moncton reinforces, even small communities where homicides are few and far between can be impacted by an active shooter event. Emergency Response Plans should include active shooter protocols, as well as a comprehensive Crisis Communications Plan. Those protocols should include: clearly defined roles and responsibilities; communication and escalation procedures; as well as efforts to raise the awareness of citizens on what activities they should expect and what their response should be during a similar event.
By having a Crisis Communications Plan that includes an ENS, officials can simultaneously communicate en masse with both citizens and the media throughout an event. For example: A member of the Emergency Response Team (ERT) can send alerts across all or selected channels to residents, instructing them to shelter-in-place; while at the same time another team member can use the platform to communicate with the media and post the ‘official message’ on a social media platform. By acting as the authority for information directly to residents and in social media, authorities are able to correct misinformation and provide regular and relevant updates as the event unfolds. Staying ahead of the story will prevent rumors from spreading and help keep the peace as residents will have accurate, up-to-date information about the incident.
Issue 3: Some who knew the gunman noticed a marked difference in behavior in the months leading up to the incident, which included starting a new page on Facebook and posting angry anti-police, anti-authority and pro-gun messages. A former co-worker also noted he seemed to have issues “with parents, bosses, police.” “I never took him seriously, but he always said he wanted to go out with a bang and bring people with him.”
Lesson: According to the FBI, “Many active shooters display observable preattack behaviors, which, if recognized, can lead to the disruption of the planned attack.” Preattack behaviors of active shooters include, indicating they would harm someone verbally or digitally via social media. Therefore, by implementing an awareness program that 1) educates your community on preattack behaviors and 2) instructs them: “If you see something, say something,” you will get more community involvement and increase the chances of stopping potential crises.
An ENS can be utilized to more easily promote awareness campaigns, increase awareness of existing and new emergency protocols, as well as provide regular reminders to citizens on the importance of registering to receive critical alerts and keeping their contact information up-to-date.
Success Story: How ENS’s Were Utilized During the Boston Marathon Bombing
During the event and days immediately following the Boston Marathon Bombing, the City of Boston used Emergency Notifications Systems to call in additional police, firefighters, mobilize command posts, and direct first responders. They also used ENS’s to evacuate areas, alert residents of the situation and to verify that they were safe by having them respond to a message that asked “Are you safe?”
Bunker Hill Community College was within the search radius for the second suspect, putting additional lives at risk. BHCC’s proactive approach, achieved through the presence of an ENS and an effective response plan, allowed for the notification to be delivered to students, staff and faculty of the imminent risk. At approximately 5:30 am EDT, the Chief of Police at BHCC used Regroup to communicate that the campus and subways were closed while the manhunt was underway. By taking advantage of a 24/7/365 emergency service and support hotline, BHCC was able to add resources to their response team to ensure that the communication was delivered to all intended recipients.
BHCC’s preparedness ensured that the lives they are sworn to protect were kept out of harm’s way. BHCC acted as the authority for information and ensured the safety, well being and relative sense of calm among their constituents.
In this instance, ENS’s were used both during and after the tragedy. They were used to notify residents of the initial event and provide real-time updates, coordinate response measures within government agencies, and connect businesses to employees.
Communicating effectively during a time of crisis reduces panic and saves lives.
Free Emergency Communication Consultation
To find out how Regroup’s Emergency Notification System has been used throughout many events, including active shooter scenarios, and how you can benefit from our easy to use, robust platform, please contact us at inquiries@regroup.com or 917-746-6776.
Active Shooter Preparedness Resources
In a recent white paper, 2013 Active Shooter Report and webinar, Active Shooter in Your Workplace: Lessons Learned & Best Practices, Regroup offered best practices for emergency communication and delivered expert insights with leading emergency preparedness consultant Bo Mitchell with 911 Consulting® on preparing for an active shooter event.
We encourage you to take advantage of the best practices, benefits and expert insights, shared by Mr. Mitchell and Regroup surrounding Active Shooter Events. You can watch the free recording of the Active Shooter webinar by clicking here and download the 2013 Active Shooter Report here.
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