An active shooter ranks high among potential bad things that can happen inside a casino, but proper training and reactions can mean the difference between a large body count and keeping people out of harm’s way.
If an active shooter is on a casino property, the best that its staff can do is to remove patrons and workers, rather than trying to apprehend the shooter, Firekeepers Casino and Hotel Vice President of Security and Surveillance George Jenkot told attendees of a day-long active shooter seminar at G2E Thursday.
“Times have changed. [The shooters have] multiplied, and the timeframes are shorter.” Jenkot said, referring to an increased frequency in active shooter events across the United States. “Anything involving waiting must be shrunk,” Jenkot said. “You can’t just sit around waiting for law enforcement.”
That means taking effective action to protect patrons and workers from an active shooter, while keeping track of the shooter’s location, description and potential weapons.
Jenkot said security personnel are not trained to apprehend an active shooter and should not attempt to do so. Instead, the top priority is to ensure the safety of patrons and staff, and try to get locations evacuated.
If an active shooter is on a casino property, Jenkot advises having designated personnel call 911 and give specifics about the event and shooter, including what the description, location, weapons used, anything the shooter might have said, and whether or not there are armed security or other casino personnel in the area.
He advises having designated personnel call 911 and give specifics about the event and shooter, including what the description, location, weapons used, anything the shooter might have said, and whether or not there are armed security or other casino personnel in the area.
The objectives during active shooting should be to “do the best you can without increasing risk to others,” Jenkot said. That means notifying police, evacuating the casino, containing the problem to a particular area, and observing and reporting accurately to the police.
If evacuation is not possible, Jenkot says the best options are to run, hide or fight, with the latter two often going together.
Running from the area of the shooter, while also helping others who are trying to flee, is the best way to survive an active shooting and keep potential body counts low, he said. Some people will freeze up or otherwise not try to flee, and Jenkot said it’s best not to let such people slow you down if fleeing from an active shooting.
It’s important to keep hands in sight, so any police on the scene will know a particular individual is not a threat, and if hallways are crowded, staying close to the wall often will provide the best escape route, rather than running down the middle of crowded corridors and rooms.
When running is not an option, Jenkot says hiding is the next best option, and that could involve finding cover or concealment. Cover, such as hiding under a table or behind a copy machine, will provide more protection than simple concealment, a still effective option, which might amount to nothing more than pulling a table cloth over a person to stay concealed.
Whenever hiding, it’s best to have any cell phones shut off so that they don’t ring or vibrate and give away a hiding position. Locking the door or blocking the entry to the room in which one or more people are hiding also helps to keep active shooters away, Jenkot said.
Because people who are hiding have no escape route, Jenkot said they need to be prepared to fight when necessary.
Fighting off an active shooter is a last resort, and Jenkot said anyone hiding should assess potential weapons that might be available and be prepared to throw items at the shooter or strike the shooter with a blunt object. When it’s time to fight, a full commitment to the action is necessary.
Jenkot said only 11 percent of bullets fired by an assailant on average reach their intended target, and less than 15 percent of shootings result in fatalities, which makes surviving a likelihood for most people who are trained and prepared to react properly to an active shooter.
Once police arrive upon the scene, they are in charge, and casino staff should to their best to apprise the police of the situation and identify the best way to enter the location of an active shooter.
Staff should help to inform police about weapons seen, the number and types of known injuries to others, whether or not the shooter is recognized and his or her mental state. Informing police of any possible explosions that might have occurred and anything that stand out about the shooter also can help with the armed police response.
Jenkot also suggested setting up a triage unit to provide medical treatment to anyone wounded or injured during the event, but says medical attention is a secondary necessity to survival. The priority is to get people out of harm’s way, and then go back and see how many lives can be saved via medical attention after the shooter is apprehended.
“First you stop the killing; then you stop the dying,” Jenkot said.
Regular training of staff for active shooter scenarios can mean the difference between a minimal and a maximum body count, and help to limit legal liability afterward, Jenkot said.
