When your clients are trying to provide a fun and safe experience at a summer camp for children, preparing for an active shooter is likely a step they must take. Understanding what the counselors need to do and what procedures everyone should follow will help them when large groups gather together in one area.

Search and Prepare for a Possible Active Shooter

Beyond having the staff at the summer camp look for potential threats, they should take steps to call in professionals to search for areas where shooters may try to enter. Your clients need to think seriously about active shooter/deadly weapon protection liability since there are many situations where young children or other people may face injuries if someone does enter the premises.

These professionals use their knowledge to put themselves in the place of an active shooter and look for weak spots around the campgrounds. Setting up guards and cameras around the camp can also help deter criminal activity.

Connect With Other Professionals

Forming a connection with the local firefighters and police officers can give your clients the ability to coordinate closely if they are dealing with a shooting. By crafting a plan about how to respond if there is an active shooter, these authorities will know how to enter the summer camp quickly and quietly in an emergency.

Learning more from active shooter safety resources is essential, including reviewing the plan annually to update it or change it as needed. Clients should tell everyone what numbers to call or how to monitor specific channels or scanners to get more information in a possible shooting.

Train Your Counselors

According to Psychology Today, people witnessing mass shootings may struggle with irritation, anxiety, and helplessness. Understanding the long-term effects of this incident can help your clients know the weight of what to say to children’s parents and anyone else at the scene. Since the counselors are responsible for responding to questions, coaching them on remaining calm with an active shooter is a large part of this preparation.

Understand the Difference

Counselors should also know the differences between a lockout and a lockdown situation. Lockouts typically involve staying on campgrounds with the ability to go between buildings while a threat is going on outside, such as an issue with the police or a dangerous animal. A lockdown is a more serious protective situation where all campers must stay inside the buildings and turn the lights out. Those in charge must know the difference when going through active shooter preparations.

Realize That How to Handle an Active Shooter Matters

When preparing for an active shooter, considering the patterns of these attacks and what safety measures campers and counselors must follow is critical. Your clients should stay fully aware of the risk and detail involved in keeping campers safe and orderly during this crisis. With a solid plan and professional help, counselors and other people on the campgrounds can potentially prevent harm.

About PGUI

Professional Governmental Underwriters, LLC., is a full-service risk management company dedicated to assisting public, educational and non-profit entities in the management of their professional liability exposures including educators liability insurance. We are dedicated to providing state-of-the-art professional underwriting management and loss control advisory services on behalf of our designated carriers. For more information, call us toll-free at (800) 586-6502.