Today’s active shooter incidents are not designed solely for fire/EMS (“red team”) or law enforcement (“blue team”). These terrible incidents require practitioners that can fight in the gray area where “red” meets “blue.” The majority of active shooter incidents do not occur in metropolitan areas. Most happen in jurisdictions that are protected by fewer than 100 law enforcement officers. This means that smaller fire departments and law enforcement agencies must be prepared to deal with these incidents where both agencies could potentially be instantly overwhelmed by one or more shooters and multiple casualties. Since mutual aid is not likely to arrive until after the threat is neutralized, fire/EMS and law enforcement must be prepared to work together. This preparation necessitates more than just planning. It involves resolution of the multiple operational perspectives, training together, and identifying weaknesses that can be strengthened. Anything less leaves your community at risk for higher casualties. Collaboration between the “red team” and the “blue team” beforehand serves as a force multiplier and can greatly affect the outcome of the incidents.
