Carson City Sheriff’s Office, Nevada National Guard team up for active shooter exercise
On Monday morning the Carson City Sheriff’s Office and the Nevada National Guard teamed up for an active shooter training exercise, including the unveiling of a new detection technology.
The exercise was to test responsiveness of law enforcement and how well building occupants will be able to defend themselves and keep themselves safe, but it was also a demonstration of a company called Protective Innovations and their new active shot detection technology.
Protective Innovations' protection system is set to detect the gun shot, sound a unique alarm to notify the building's occupants to protect themselves, and then transmit details of the gun shot to local law enforcement personnel.
“It’s analogous to a smoke detector, but for gun shots,” said Protective Innovations Founder Chris Perrine. “With this technology we set out to improve our response and give people a chance to defend themselves.”
The drill proceeded as accurately as possible, which included live ammunition. As soon as the “shooter” shot the first round, an alarm rang out very similar to a fire alarm, which went through all of the buildings of the Nevada National Guard base.
The alarm repeated over and over, “Attention, attention, there is an armed intruder in the building. Immediately take cover.”
Despite the fact that the gun shots enclosed in the brick gymnasium were enough to set ears ringing, those only a few rooms down didn’t hear a thing, which is why this system is important. Especially considering most schools use the same building materials of brick and concrete, which muffled sound.
“This is an absolute game changer,” said Sgt. John Hicks of the Carson City Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team.
Instead of having to go the normal route of a panicked caller calling 911, telling dispatch where and what was happening, and then dispatch relaying it to law enforcement, the new technology cuts that time short.
“We essentially were told by dispatch shots fired in the gymnasium the moment it happened,” said Sgt. Hicks. “I would estimate it saved a full minute.”
And a full minute counts when dealing with an active shooter situation.
SWAT waited a minute and a half before entering the building, simulating standard response time. During that time, the “shooter” made his way up the stairs, and checked office doors, some of which were locked and he moved on.
In his wake, at least four casualties were counted before SWAT was able to stop him.
With that extra minute, those numbers could have doubled or tripled.
Visit www.protectiveinnovations.com/solutions/ for background information on Protective Innovations.