Tag: first responders

How Do We Stop These School Shootings?

Editor’s note: FM Perspectives are industry op-eds. The views expressed are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of Facilities Management Advisor. The senseless killing of two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in rural Georgia on Sept. 4 once again begs the question, “How do we stop these school shootings?” It seems we […]

CISA and Virginia County Put School Active Shooter Protocols to the Test

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), in partnership with the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office, the Fauquier County Fire Rescue System, and Fauquier County Public Schools in Virginia, successfully conducted a full-scale active shooter/reunification exercise aimed at bolstering the safety and security of K-12 schools on June 27. The exercise was held at Kettle Run […]

Revolutionizing Public Safety: The Power of AI in Surveillance Enhancement

Editor’s note: FM Perspectives are industry op-eds. The views expressed are the authors’ and do not necessarily reflect those of Facilities Management Advisor. Public safety threats like active shooter situations and acts of terrorism have become increasingly complex and unpredictable. While surveillance cameras are widespread across the U.S., many systems fail to provide real-time monitoring and threat […]

Drones and Disaster Recovery: Streamlining Post-Disaster Renovations

Calamities can happen at any time. They put everything at risk—people, buildings, you name it. Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are changing things for the better though. Take the 2015 Nepal earthquake, for instance. UAVs were used for search and rescue, mapping, and strategizing relief efforts. Fast-forward to 2023, the University of Maryland has […]

Implementing Active Shooter Technology at Your Facility

Unfortunately, as gun violence continues to increase throughout the United States, all types of facilities should strive to know how to deal effectively with active shooter situations. There were 649 mass shootings in 2022 alone and already over 300 this year as of June 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Facilities Management Advisor’s FM […]

CISA, Washington Commanders, and First Responders Huddle to Ensure Public Safety at Stadium

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Washington Commanders, FedExField, and state and local first responders recently held a tabletop exercise to test response plans around hypothetical public safety incidents at the NFL team’s home stadium. The four-hour event was the latest in a series of assessments and exercises designed to ensure the safety of events […]

NFPA Highlights Four Ways 9/11 Changed the World of Fire and Life Safety

With this year marking the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has highlighted four ways that day changed the world of fire and life safety, shedding light on how the fire service, first responders, and others now do their jobs in ways that better protect themselves and enhance safety.

The Importance of Security Communication Integration at Your Facility

One chilling realization stemming from the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks was the inability for the first responders across all disciplines—police, fire, and paramedics—to communicate with each other using the same radio frequencies. Are private sector security practitioners any better at reaching or talking to each other in routine conditions and serious emergencies?