Q. Will I have time to direct my employees when a shooting occurs?

A. Probably the biggest mistake made in planning - whether by businesses, event coordinators, religious organizations, or school planners - is misunderstanding what occurs in the first minute of a shooting. Many planners mistakenly believe there's going to be time to make a decision about what to do or even to tell other people what to do.

I hear that all the time in my consulting business. I hear a manager say, we'll make this announcement that will directly to our people. There likely may not be time for the messaging you think. Broadcast systems are great, but you need to have a more thorough plan in place, and it pays to have someone look at whether that plan is realistic.

Many factors play into whether broadcast messaging is wise and must take into consideration your facility, personnel, and other factors. Thoughtful preplanning can result in successful messages and valuable broadcasting messaging and text messaging. Different messaging is needed at different times depending on the timing, both before and after a shooting occurs.

No matter the messaging, it’s important to train people to be able to think for themselves and react quickly.