Statistics show active shooter incidents have been on the rise in the new millennium, and so has the impact and intensity of these episodes. When an event occurs, citizens and responders face split-second, life or death decisions that have the capacity of playing a vital role in limiting loss and saving lives.

Created to address the need for a framework for preparing for when attacks occur, NFPA 3000, Standard for an Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Program, focuses on bringing all facets of communities together to provide a unified prevention, response, and recovery plan. The standard offers comprehensive criteria for organizing, managing, and sustaining a multidisciplinary active shooter hostile event program based on an organization's or community's level of risk.

The planning, response, and recovery process includes requirements for:

• Risk assessment
• Facility preparedness
• Planning and coordination
• Financial readiness
• Resource management
• Financial management
• Organizational deployment
• Communications center support
• Incident Management
• Competencies for law enforcement, fire, and EMS responders
• Whole of community recovery

Tap into the knowledge and expertise from a broad range of stakeholders responsible for the development of this consensus standard.

NFPA 3000 was created with extensive support from fire service, law enforcement, EMS, emergency, management, higher education, and facility management professionals. Committee members include representatives from a wide variety of agencies and associations such as:

• S. Department of Justice
• Emergency Medical Services Labor Alliance
• Federal Bureau of Investigation
• National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians
• S. Department of Homeland Security
• International Association of Chiefs of Police
• International Association of EMS Chiefs
• International Association of Fire Chiefs
• American College of Emergency Physicians
• National Volunteer Fire Council
• National Association of EMS Physicians
• Fraternal Order of Police
• International Association of Emergency Managers
• International Association of Fire Fighters

The new edition of NFPA 3000 provides cutting-edge provisions for coordinated planning and response.

This vital standard for public safety covers all aspects of establishing an ASHER program, from identifying hazards and assessing vulnerability to planning, resource management, incident management at a command level, competencies for first responders, health care, and recovery. Informative Annexes offer explanatory material, including references and overview of laws, regulations, consensus standards, and guidance documents. 

The 2021 edition marks the first time the standard went through a full NFPA document revision cycle. The content was thoroughly reviewed and revised to account for the rapidly expanding and evolving methodology around these types of events.

Critical edits and additions include:

• Changes in terminology for reunification and family assistance centers to notification and incident assistance centers to reflect lessons learned from ASHER incidents that occurred during the development and after the release of the 2018 edition of NFPA 3000
• New terminology designed to be more inclusive, so loved ones and those who are vicarious victims—not only blood relatives—feel encouraged to seek services and information after an event; and to create a more accurate sense of services provided rather than give a false sense of hope to someone who is seeking reunification where that may not be an option
• Expanded annual exercise requirements to the chapter for responder training to match the chapters for at-risk facilities and health care in an effort to continue to promote collaboration and whole community participation
• Revised sections for clarity and to better inform the user of the intent of the technical committee

Access the first and only standard offering guidance for a community's efforts to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a potential active shooter/hostile event.

Empower your community or organization to take action preparing for potential attacks to mitigate risks and help safeguard lives. Place your order for NFPA 3000, Standard for an Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Program, 2021 edition, today.