According to a landmark longitudinal study by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) active shooters are most likely to strike in commercial establishments, which are defined in the report as malls and businesses. More than 45 percent of all active shooter incidents take place in commercial settings, according to the study.
The most notable recent commercial incident took place just over a year ago, when an active shooter killed 49 people and wounded 58 others in a terrorist attack/hate crime inside Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, United States.
Retail and other commercial establishments are turning Shooter Detection Systems as a response to the trend. The Guardian Indoor Active Shooter Detection System automatically detects shots fired using acoustic and infrared sensors. The precise location of the gunshots is noted, and authorities are alerted immediately.
The Guardian system has the ability to dramatically reduce response times in active shooter situations. A recent independent live-fire study in a two million square foot facility reduced reporting and first-responder dispatch time from as much as 18 minutes to just five seconds. Warnings can also be instantly sent out to people in the facility and vicinity advising them to evacuate or take cover. This video demonstrates the basics of the system .
Guardian’s capabilities would have been greatly helpful in the Pulse nightclub incident, where it took several moments for authorities to be alerted and sometime after to pinpoint the location of the shooter within the club.
Shooter Detection Systems is currently exhibiting at NRF Protect, the largest retail and restaurant loss prevention event in North America, on June 26 – 28, 2017 in Washington, D.C.
Active shooters also pose a threat in educational and healthcare settings. ECT Services will be on hand at several trade shows this fall, including:
2017 Healthcare Coalition Conference, September 26 – 28, Hyatt Regency/Lexington Center in Lexington, Ky. The event is planned by the Kentucky Society of Healthcare Engineers, the state chapter representing the American Society of Healthcare Engineering and Association for the Healthcare Environment.
Kentucky Association of Housing Officers Annual Conference. Dates are October 5 – 7 and the event will be hosted this year at Berea College in Berea, Ky. KAHO provides personal and professional growth opportunities for college and university housing and residence life officers.
Kentucky Plant Management Conference, October 18—19, Embassy Suites Hotel at 1801 Newtown Pike in Lexington, Ky. The event is sponsored by the Kentucky School Plant Management Association, and typically draws more than 300 attendees to breakout sessions, round tables and more.
Interested in learning more? Register for our Live Fire event.