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Many schools across the country are returning to in-person learning, and threats of targeted violence against schools is an ongoing concern. The U.S. Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) has just published a report on an extensive research study, Averting Targeted School Violence: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Plots Against Schools.
This 2021 report builds on previous research from NTAC. A study from NTAC in 2019, Protecting America’s Schools: A U.S. Secret Service Analysis of Targeted School Violence, studied 41 incidents of targeted school violence that occurred at K-12 schools in the United States from 2008 to 2017. This 2019 study found that when targeted attacks against schools do happen, they often end very quickly, so law enforcement rarely has the opportunity to intervene before serious harm is caused to students or staff. Moreover, this study found that many of the schools that experienced these tragedies had implemented physical security measures (e.g., cameras, school resource officers, lockdown procedures). Therefore, prevention is key.
The NTAC’s 2021 “Averting Targeted School Violence” uniquely studied 67 disrupted plots against K-12 schools from 2006 to 2018. The study found that each of the plots was prevented when a bystander, often another student, observed concerning behavior and reported their concern to someone who could help. The types of behavior that elicited concern included students communicating openly about their attack plan, other violent or threatening behaviors, and unusual interests in weapons.
The findings of this study should give us all pause. They highlight the fact that targeted school violence is preventable when there is proactive support for students at school, built around safe and positive school climates, and when people feel comfortable reporting suspicious activity to authorities.
NTAC recommends schools adopt multidisciplinary threat assessment programs that are not based on a profile or type of student, but are designed to gather information about a student’s concerning or threatening communications and behaviors, the negative or stressful events the student has experienced, and the resources the student possesses to overcome those challenges.
The U.S. Secret Service encourages its educational, medical and public safety partners to review the information in this report and use it to guide best practices for maintaining a safe and healthy learning environment for all children.
(Source: NTAC)
Earlier this month, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) added two new documents to its National Incident Management System (NIMS) Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Toolkit:
These two new documents support and enhance existing Toolkit documents [ZIP, 3.3 MB] released in January of this year. The existing set of EOC Toolkit documents included resources for building position qualifications based on organizational needs, creating Position Task Books from EOC Skillsets, and managing the stress and compassion fatigue of EOC staff.
The purpose of the new EOC How-to Quick Reference Guide is to provide state, local, tribal and territorial (SLTT) jurisdictions with information and guidance related to setting up, operating, maintaining and deactivating an EOC that successfully meets the jurisdiction’s needs. This guidance applies an all-hazards approach in its concepts, processes and principles.
This 90-page Guide provides information on how to set up your jurisdiction’s EOC, including how to:
- Conduct the preliminary assessments required to determine your jurisdiction’s EOC needs.
- Select the physical site of your EOC.
- Use preliminary needs assessments to determine EOC capabilities and requirements.
- Design the EOC room to maximize operational efficiency and effectiveness.
- Plan and implement secure infrastructure for communications and information management in the EOC.
The Guide addresses EOC operations, maintenance, and deactivation with sections on how to:
- Develop EOC Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Plan for the entire preparedness cycle, train EOC staff and conduct exercises for EOC preparation, testing and assessment.
- Manage resources during an incident.
The EOC Quick Reference How-to Guide incorporates numerous FEMA guidance documents by reference that expand on the topics discussed.
The 2-page FEMA Fact Sheet, EOC References and Resources Tool, is intended to be a more at-a-glance resource. This Tool outlines EOC structure, types, benefits, training and skillsets at a high level. Resources are linked directly in the Tool. COVID-19 pandemic operational guidelines and virtual EOC best practices are also highlighted, incorporating the latest lessons learned from the ongoing COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.
FEMA’s updated EOC Toolkit with these two new resources is available on FEMA’s website, on the NIMS Components – Guidance and Tools page, under “Emergency Operations Centers.”
(Source: FEMA)
The FEMA National Exercise Division is now accepting fall 2021 requests for exercise support to the National Exercise Program (NEP). Fall round submissions are due by Nov. 1 and decisions will be sent by Dec. 10.
The program offers no-cost assistance to state, local, tribal and territorial jurisdictions for exercise design, development, execution and evaluation to validate capabilities across all mission areas. The program will hold additional exercise support rounds in the spring and fall of 2022. Instructions for how to submit a request for support are on the NEP website.
FEMA is hosting five 60-minute webinars for jurisdictions and other community partners to discuss the exercise support process.
Please visit the NEP webinar page to register. The webinar dates are:
- Webinar 1: 1 p.m. EST on Aug. 30.
- Webinar 2: 2 p.m. EST on Sept.7.
- Webinar 3: 3 p.m. EST on Sept. 15.
- Webinar 4: 4 p.m. EST on Sept. 23.
- Webinar 5: 1 p.m. EST on Oct. 1.
For questions, please send an email to the National Exercise Division.
(Source: FEMA NEP)
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