Including Disability: The Updated California Office of Emergency Services Active Shooter Awareness Guidance

On December 2, 2015, terrorists attacked the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California. Because the center serves individuals with intellectual disabilities, initial reports indicated the attack was an assault on the disabled. Although we later learned this was not the case; the thought of an attack on individuals with disabilities raised serious concerns over the current lack of guidance regarding the access and functional needs (AFN) associated with an active shooter attack. 

Through its Office of Access and Functional Needs (OAFN), the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) revised the state's Active Shooter Awareness Guidance. The updated Guidance, now publicly available, is the first of its kind to integrate access and functional needs to promote the safety and security of individuals with disabilities and persons with access and functional needs before, during and after an active shooter attack. 

Learning objectives:

• Develop a familiarity with the Cal OES Active Shooter Awareness Guidance document and the process used to integrate access and functional needs within it.
• Understand how to use the guidance to promote the safety, security and empowerment of individuals with disabilities and persons with access and functional needs.
• Learn how to use the guidance to update active shooter awareness resources.

Presenters:

Luis "Vance" Taylor is the Chief of the Office of Access and Functional Needs at the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services. 

Scott McCartney is the Project Director of the Large Stadium Initiative and Active Shooter Training Coordinator with the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services and Homeland Security.