An active shooter situation at an apartment community would be a terrifying situation, but being prepared ahead of time can save lives. We take an in-depth look at how property management companies are beginning to train their on-site staff to respond in this type of crisis.

Some apartment management companies have hired instructors with police and security backgrounds or invited local law enforcement personnel to deliver classes on the subject to interested staff. The courses last from a few hours to a half-day and have been met mostly with curiosity and appreciation – and not anxiety – from attendees.

Apartmentalize this year has invited one of those instructors – Officer Derwin Bradley, Orlando Police Department, to deliver information about active-shooter incidents during a special two-hour deep-dive on Friday, June 15 in San Diego. He will discuss how to recognize the dynamics of active shooter events, understand risk-management strategies, develop awareness of suspicious activity and threatening behavior and create proactive measures for reducing the potential of mass violence on the property generally and in the office facilities of apartment communities.

Bradley will be joined by Apartment Association of Greater Orlando (AAGO) CEO Chip Tatum, who will speak to physical security measures, emergency communications, response planning and post-incident crisis management.

Tatum in April welcomed Bradley to speak to AAGO members for a second consecutive year. The event, which sat 40 members, sold out.

Attendee Heather Alzate, CAM, CAPS, Senior Property Manager, Sawgrass Apartments, Orlando, says that the class helped her personally feel more prepared for such an event.

“The fear is there,” she says. “It’s a scary subject to talk about. And although it’s a training, it allows us to receive a real picture of the threats that any community could face and learn a ‘just in case’ response strategy.”

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https://www.naahq.org/news-publications/units/may-2018/article/escaping-crossfire