Scenarios Your Business Continuity Plan and Business Impact Analysis Don’t Cover: Active Shooter

by Joy Dike, PhD

​One of your employees is going through a messy divorce. Her soon-to-be-ex-husband is angry. He wants revenge and he’s unstable. He grabs his gun and drives to her place of employment. He’s looking for his wife, but he’s volatile and willing to shoot just about anyone who gets in his way. He opens fire at your place of employment and kills a half dozen people.
 
Do you think your business continuity plan or your business impact analysis should take a scenario like this into account? 

An Emergency Management Plan that includes a contingency for active shooter is a good idea. Actually, it’s a great idea. But what about the time period after an event like an active shooter? What is your plan for media relations? How do you communicate with your employees? Your customers and clients? Hospitals? News stations? Who talks to the dozens of reporters who show up onsite? Who talks to the dozens of people calling looking for their loved ones? What is your plan for employee mental health and wellbeing after a traumatic event? Employees may understandably need some time off work; they may need to talk to mental health professionals; they may need reassurances that they are, in fact, safe while at work.
 
What is your plan? How do you deal with the loss of business that happens in the hours and days after a tragedy like an active shooter? Your Emergency Management Plan should have policies and procedures in place for the time during a potential active shooter, but your business continuity plan should have policies and procedures in place for the hours, days, and even weeks following an active shooter event.
 
Continue to follow us for more scenarios your business continuity plan and business impact analysis probably don’t (but should) include.