After the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, we asked the Restaurant Loss Prevention & Security Association (RLPSA) what restaurants can do to better protect customers, employees and the business from an active shooter. The group, an organization of security and loss prevention experts, provided these recommendations from its members.
Restaurant Business: Is it advisable to train a staff for the unlikely situation of having an active shooter on the premises? In other words, are the potential benefits worth potentially scaring employees?
RLPSA: Yes, the benefits far outweigh the potential of scaring employees. Although any active shooter situation will be scary, preparing restaurant employees with survival tactics and event expectations can reduce anxiety and increase situational awareness. We liken this to the safety briefing we all receive prior to every flight we take. This safety briefing is not intended to scare people or warn them of an impending disaster. It is simply providing them with information and procedures that could increase their chances of surviving… Restaurant Business