Policy Text
DEFINITIONS:
ACTIVE ASSAILANT - One or more people who participate in a life-threatening assault
and demonstrate their intent to continuously or systematically kill or wound others.
ACTIVE ASSAILANT EVENT (AAE) - Any incident where one or more active assailants
act to harm or kill others. Such events include, but are not limited to school shootings,
workplace violence, terrorist activities and snipers.
AMBULANCE EXCHANGE POINT (AEP) - An area that is located near the Triage Post
where, after triage is completed, victims are moved to for awaiting transport. The area
should have easy ingress and egress and allow for staging of multiple ambulances.
BARRICADED SUBJECT - A person who takes a position of confinement to avoid
arrest. The use or threatened use of force to resist apprehension will have been
displayed through actions or words and the officer will have reason to believe the
suspect will use force to avoid arrest. A barricaded subject situation is not one where
active deadly force is occurring or where there are victims of deadly force with life
threatening injuries who need to be immediately rescued, as that is an AAE.
CASUALTY COLLECTION POINT (CCP) - A temporary location(s) in the Warm Zone
where injured victims can be quickly and safely assembled until it is feasible to move
the patients to the Triage Post or another formal treatment area.
COACH AARON FEIS GUARDIAN PROGRAM - The Coach Aaron Feis Guardian
Program was established in 2018 through the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
Public Safety Act. Guardians are armed personnel who aid in the prevention or
abatement of active assailant incidents on school premises. They are either school
employees who volunteer to serve in addition to official job duties or personnel hired for
the specific purpose of serving as a school guardian.
COMMAND POST - A post established by the Incident Commander to direct emergency
operations. This may include where the Unified Command is located.
CONTACT TEAM - A team formed by the first two to five law enforcement officers to
arrive on scene who are capable of immediate response to an AAE. Contact Team
formations are generally a “T” or diamond formation that provide 360-degree security
while advancing through unsecured areas to engage an active assailant pursuant to
Department training. Contact Team formations and tactics are similar to Rescue Task
Force formations. Based upon the circumstances an officer(s) will take immediate
action if they are the only person on scene. The officer(s) shall not wait for another
officer to arrive to take immediate action to stop the threat.
CRITICAL INCIDENT STRESS MANAGEMENT TEAM (CISM) - A multi-faceted team
comprised of Department and outside personnel that includes trained mental health
professionals and religious volunteers.
DECEASED VICTIM STAGING AREA - An area within the outer perimeter to where
deceased victims are transported for identification, processing by the Medical Examiner
and subsequent transportation to the Medical Examiner’s Office.
HOSTAGE SITUATION - Incidents involving an act or potential act of violence where an
innocent person(s) is being held against their will and may include a situation where the
person is used as a bargaining tool or a “shield.”
INCIDENT COMMANDER - The Incident Commander is solely responsible for
managing the entire incident, to include approval of the tactical plan, deployment of
personnel, development of staff functions to control the incident, coordination of
contributing agencies, ordering and releasing of resources and the release of
information pertaining to the incident. The Incident Commander will be based at the
Command Post.
MOBILE COMMAND CENTER (MCC) - A special purpose vehicle primarily designed to
house the Command Post and provide communications services at the scene of
emergency operations.
OPERATIONAL ZONES - Zone designations are dynamic and will change as the
incident develops. Cold Zone is an area where there is no threat level and law
enforcement has designated it as secure. The Command Post including Unified
Command, patient triage, treatment and transport are organized and located in this
zone; Warm Zone is an area where there is a moderate threat level and the area has
not been completely cleared. Law enforcement protection for Fire Rescue units is
required to enter this area; Hot Zone is an area where there is a high threat level.
Active combat is occurring or is likely to occur in this area. EMS/Fire Rescue personnel,
with the exception of SWAT Medics, will not operate in a Hot Zone.
PERIMETERS - Inner Perimeter is the immediate area of containment, including the Hot
Zone and Warm Zone.