Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) PDF

Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) PURPOSE: To provide Miami Fire Rescue (MFR) personnel guidance when responding to operations at an “Active Shooter/Hostile Event” (ASHER) with the Miami Police Department (MPD) and establish standard operating guidelines to address these highly volatile...

Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) PURPOSE: To provide Miami Fire Rescue (MFR) personnel guidance when responding to operations at an “Active Shooter/Hostile Event” (ASHER) with the Miami Police Department (MPD) and establish standard operating guidelines to address these highly volatile and dangerous scenarios. REFERENCES:     NFPA 3000 - Standard for an Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Program ALERRT - Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Common EMS Protocols - MCI Procedures pg. 495 EOM - Article 2 Section 3: Dispatch and Notification Procedures for Major Emergencies Definitions and Abbreviations:  Active Shooter / Assailant: One or more individuals actively engaged in harming, killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area with the use of firearms and/or other means.  C.A.N. Report: o Conditions – victims encountered, existing CCPs. o Actions and movements – area entered; movement direction. o Needs – medical supplies, additional RTFs, litter bearers.  Casualty Collection Point (CCP): A temporary location used for the gathering, triage (sorting), medical stabilization and subsequent evacuation of nearby casualties where vehicular access might be limited and is usually occurring in the warm zone. Depending on the size of the incident, multiple CCPs may be indicated. Considerations include: protection, drainage and routes of ingress/egress.  Casualty Exchange Point (CEP) or Ambulance Exchange Point (AEP): A geographical location where transport vehicles are available to transport casualties.  Clear: A term used by law enforcement where a primary sweep has been conducted by law enforcement and no obvious threats have been found. Law Enforcement might or might not maintain a physical presence in a cleared area. Victims might or might not be in a cleared area.  Contact Team (CT): A team of Law Enforcement officers, composed of one to five (15) officers tasked with locating the suspect(s) and neutralizing the threat.  Cover: An area that prevents the responder from being observed by the perpetrator and provides direct protection from firearms and other hostile weapons.  Hazard Zone: o Hot Zone: Any uncontrolled area where an active shooter/hostile threat could directly engage responders. o Warm Zone: An area where there is a potential for hazard or an indirect threat to life. This zone is clear of an obvious threat, but a threat could emerge or reemerge. 12/2018 EOM / Article 3 / Section 58 Page 1 Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER)       o Cold Zone: Areas where there is little or no threat due to geographic distance from the threat or the area has been secured by law enforcement. Improvised Explosive Device (IED): A device placed and/or fabricated in an improvised manner incorporating destructive, lethal, noxious, pyrotechnic, or incendiary chemicals and designed to destroy, incapacitate, harass or distract. It may incorporate vehicle, military weapons or components, but is normally devised from non-military components. Rescue Task Force (RTF): A combination of MFR with MPD personnel providing force protection. The RTF could provide the following tasks: threat-based care, triage and extracting victims to a casualty collection point or other designated location. The RTF could have other tactical objectives, such as breaching, utility control, managing building systems and fire control. Secured: A geographic location where law enforcement has conducted a slow, methodical search and found no obvious hazard/threat and maintains a constant presence. Staging Area: A location where resources wait and prepare for commitment. The designated area is far enough away from the known hazard to reduce congestion, confusion and clutter for those actively engaged. Commonly identified in two (2) levels: o Staging - Level 1: All units will stage one to two blocks away from incident in the direction of travel. o Staging - Level 2: All units are given a designated area to report to. The first arriving officer is often designated as the Staging supervisor. Unified Command: An authority structure in which the role of incident commander is shared by individuals from all responding organizations responsible for the incident, operating together to develop a single incident action plan. During the ASHER incident, Unified Command generally consists of Law Enforcement, Fire, EMS, and Emergency Management representatives at a minimum. Unified Command Post: The location at which the primary tactical level, on-scene unified incident command functions are performed. POLICY: In cooperative agreement with MPD, MFR personnel shall use this policy to integrate operations with MPD at incidents with a hostile element and the potential for a large loss of life. MFR members will be familiar with this policy and the initial actions to be taken as they arrive at the scene of an Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER). GENERAL: MPD and MFR personnel will work jointly in the hazardous areas, allowing fire personnel to provide lifesaving treatment while under the protection of armed MPD officers. 12/2018 EOM / Article 3 / Section 58 Page 2 Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER)  In accordance with NIMS guidance, MFR and MPD will establish a single Command Post (CP) and establish Unified Command (UC).  When practical, both MPD and MFR communications will be established with a common command radio channel. A separate tactical radio frequency for MFR, as well as for MPD, will be used and confirmed.  Rescue Task Force (RTF) teams will treat, stabilize and ultimately remove the injured in a rapid manner under the protection of MPD officers in warm zone areas cleared by initial Contact Teams (CT). While operating jointly as a RTF, MFR personnel will maneuver at the direction of the MPD officer in charge of their respective team.  RTF personnel will wear all department-issued ballistic protection (i.e. ballistic vest and helmet); personnel not assigned to an RTF may also be required to wear ballistic protection at the IC’s discretion.  Fire department personnel will be familiar with common law enforcement terms, such as Cleared, Secured, Cover, Concealment, Hot Zone/Cold Zone and related terms (definitions above). During an ASHER, the safety and security of fire and police personnel is our primary concern. Miami Fire Personnel will provide a supporting role to Miami Police. Radio communication directly related to police tactical operation shall not be transmitted over non-encrypted channels. PROCEDURE: DISPATCH The Alarm Office will dispatch an assignment based on the most credible information received at the time. The incident will be classified in one of the following ASHER categories according to the below criteria:    12/2018 ASHER THREAT o Threat made via 911. No visual verification of an assailant and/or weapon(s). o MCI level 1 (5-10 victims) will be dispatched o Notify the Battalion Commander o Staging - Level 1 ASHER IMMINENT o Confirmation that the assailant has a weapon conducive for mass casualty and is posing a threat. o No injuries sustained o MCI level 2 (11-20 victims) will be dispatched o Notify the Battalion Commander o Staging - Level 2 ASHER EVENT o Shots fired in a public setting with or without reported victims or known incident with victims down (i.e.., vehicle-based attack, etc.) EOM / Article 3 / Section 58 Page 3 Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) o MCI level 3 (Over 20 victims) will be dispatched o Dispatch the Battalion Commander o Staging - Level 2 Incident Command and Alarm Officer Personnel should consider Mutual Aid to staff MFR stations and notification of the County/City EOC for activation determination. PRE-ARRIVAL CONSIDERATIONS  Fire-Rescue units will stage in a safe location away from the actual incident, according to ASHER level (Threat, Imminent, or Event).  Crew integrity and accountability is critical; Company officers will keep their crew together whenever possible.  Anticipate having to provide forcible entry/exit equipment and litter operations. It may become necessary to remove victims from above ground through windows and manually breached locations. Have all necessary equipment available for immediate deployment.  If arriving MFR units encounter a threat (i.e. active shooter(s)) in the staging area prior to MPD arrival, they shall immediately withdraw/seek cover and request an expedited MPD response. MIAMI POLICE:  Establish Integrated Response Process (Contact Teams, RTF)  Establish a Perimeter  Establish appropriate level of Staging (Level 2 – Designated Area)  Establish a Command Post for Unified Command MFR FIRST ARRIVING UNIT  Determine the location of the MPD Incident Command Post (ICP) o If one is not yet established, establish an Incident Command Post and notify MPD.  Communicate with the MPD Incident Commander and establish a Unified Command.  Announce the location of the ICP to responding units.  Assign and announce a Staging area and Manager. o If responding MFR has not been designated a safe staging area by MPD or the staging area is insufficient, select a staging area based on the following conditions. Desirable features of a safe staging area include:  Physical hard barrier that shields apparatus and personnel from the incident location.  Distance from the scene that reduces the chance of injury from firearms and IEDs. 12/2018 EOM / Article 3 / Section 58 Page 4 Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER)    Adequate space for entry and exit of Fire Apparatus.  Provide a face-to-face briefing to fire units, if possible. Don department-issued ballistic PPE (vest and helmet). Prepare to operate as members of a Rescue Task Force. INCIDENT COMMAND CONSIDERATIONS  RTFs will not be deployed unless a District Chief or Battalion Chief is participating in a unified command with the police commander on scene.  MPD IC and MFR IC will coordinate on the composition of an RTF. o No less than three (3) MFR members; (4) MFR members is optimal. o One (1) MPD officer per One (1) MFR member is encouraged. o Deviations are at the sole direction of the MFR incident commander.  Consider assigning a Group/Division Supervisor early if RTFs may exceed span of control (Rescue Battalion Captain, second DC, etc.).  Only the IC or Division/Group Supervisor (if assigned) may recall a RTF.  The MFR IC will manage the distribution of personnel and resources. o Fire Suppression personnel (Aerial, Quint, Engine): may be combined with MPD officers to form Rescue Task Force(s) and litter bearer teams. o ALS Transport personnel (Rescue): may be assigned as litter bearers, as well as Triage, Treatment or Transport units.  Consider upgrading/downgrading to appropriate ASHER category and respective MCI dispatch based on initial RTF reports and further credible information.  Based on available information and considering C.A.N. reports from initial units regarding size and scope of the incident, Command should consider: o Directing RTFs to focus on:  Triage  Patient care/stabilization  Immediate patient removal, as encountered. o Assigning an Accountability Officer(s)  For MFR personnel and units  For patients related to incident. o Assigning a Safety Officer early  Command should consider establishing a Joint Information Center using both MPD and MFR Public Information Officer early in the incident to address family and media inquiries.  The Incident Commander should consider requesting the following additional resources early in the incident: o Specialty Teams (HazMat, Technical Rescue, etc.) o MFR Rehab Van o MFR Command Van 12/2018 EOM / Article 3 / Section 58 Page 5 Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) o Miami-Dade Disaster Van o Miami-Dade Air Rescue staged at a landing zone. RESCUE TASK FORCE  The goal of the Rescue Task Force(s) is to rapidly reach Active Shooter/ Hostile Event victims.  RTFs will need to search for and locate the injured victim(s) in areas that have been swept by the initial Contact Team(s). These areas may not be “secured” so RTF should maintain a high level of alertness to the possibility the assailant may appear or IEDs may be encountered.  RTFs must provide Command a C.A.N. report early in their deployment.  Rescue Task Forces will maneuver at the direction of the MPD officer functioning as the RTF Leader. o If, at any time, a member feels a RTF assignment is unsafe, he/she should identify the circumstance and relay safe alternatives for completing the assignment to their RTF Leader, Division or Group Supervisor (if assigned) and/or their IC.  Should the RTF encounter a threat/suspect the medical personnel shall shelter in a place that provides protection to medical personnel, preferably with an exterior door or means of escape.  The RTF should consider establishing a Casualty Collection Point (CCP) as victims are encountered. o A CCP should provide protection, drainage, routes of ingress/egress and should be defensible by the LE component of the RTF. Once a CCP has been established, location and content should be relayed to the Division/Group Supervisor. Supervisors should consider consolidating CCPs if conditions permit  After reaching the victim(s), the RTF will provide lifesaving interventions in accordance with MFR MCI Procedures (MCI Procedures pg. 495). Once these interventions have been put in place, the RTF leader will either continue the search for more victims or begin evacuating victims to the CCP, depending on situational circumstances.  Injured victims shall be taken to a CCP by the Rescue Task Forces either as they are encountered or after first aid supplies run out and the Rescue Task Force is pulling out.  All personnel operating in the CCP area should avoid hallways and doorways, and should anticipate having to bunker behind areas of cover and concealment.  RTF(s) must maintain a high level of situational awareness and may need to relocate injured patients to a treatment area in the cold zone when safe to do so. DEMOBILIZATION 12/2018 EOM / Article 3 / Section 58 Page 6 Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER)      12/2018 Confirm all patients are accounted for prior to transferring scene to Law Enforcement. Use information from Accountability Officer, Treatment/Transport Areas. Attempt to ensure collection of self-evacuated patients. Once all the victims have been treated or transported, focus should be on preserving the scene for MPD/FBI Investigation. An on-scene debriefing will be conducted with units on the alarm. Command will designate units to rehab for evaluation prior to releasing them back into service. Consideration must be given to post incident responder welfare. Potential resources include: o The Department’s Mental Health Provider. o Team-based Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM). o Fire Department Chaplain. EOM / Article 3 / Section 58 Page 7