The Process Works
NFPA goes where first responders go—this has been one of my key points since arriving here four years ago. The best illustration is our newly introduced standard, NFPA 3000™ (PS), Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Program.
You may be asking yourself, “Why would NFPA be involved with active shooters?” The answer is simple. We go where first responders go, and we do a great job of bringing together diverse interests to arrive at consensus on topics that are often difficult and controversial.
The NFPA 3000 project was initiated through a 2016 request to NFPA from Chief Otto Drozd of Orange County (Florida) Fire and Rescue following the deadly shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. Chief Drozd’s request identified the need for a standard to address common preparation among all of the involved first responder units, as well as unified incident command during an event and common recovery strategies for communities following these events.
NFPA called for interested individuals and ultimately appointed a diverse and dedicated technical committee to take on this task. Members came not only from the fire and EMS communities, but from an array of federal agencies and national associations representing law enforcement, homeland security, the medical community, and many others. During the development process, the need for the standard increased in urgency, driven by other tragic active shooter incidents. In response, NFPA, for only the second time in its history, made the decision to produce a provisional standard, one guided by an ANSI-accredited process that allows faster introduction of standards. The standard was released for purchase on May 1.
Many groups and individuals will work with cities, counties, states, and corporations to develop plans in accordance with NFPA 3000. To assist, NFPA is providing a level of qualification by offering online training. A badging recognition program is available, with badges related to the three major elements of the standard—plan, respond, and recover—as well as a badge for the completion of the overall NFPA 3000 training series.
The technical committee, as well as NFPA staff, are to be commended for the time and dedication necessary to complete this standard. NFPA 3000 is an outstanding example of how we use our expertise as a codes and standards developer to take a broad look at a complex problem and create solutions that can help move our safety-oriented vision and mission forward.
You can learn more about NFPA 3000 on the document information webpage.