In a climate where active shooter situations are increasingly common, knowledge is power when it comes to preparation.
Preparation is what’s being preached at an upcoming conference on “active shooter or workplace violence” situations Saturday, Aug. 20, in the WiFire conference room in Freeland.
The presentation, sponsored by community education nonprofit Pacific Northwest Coalition, is designed to teach everyday people measures they can take to protect themselves in such situations.
The conference will be presented by former United States Marine Corps officer and FBI special agent of 26 years Daniel Guerrero.
Guerrero was a first responder for multiple major oversea investigations, including the U.S. embassy bombings in Pakistan, Sweden, Kenya and others.
The conference is scheduled to take place from 1-4 p.m., and space is still available.
Outside of Guerrero’s service with the Marines and FBI, he is currently the director of Security and Emergency Preparedness at Edmonds Community College.
Guerrero says in his presentation he emphasizes the need to increase awareness of actions that can be taken in active shooter situations while not employing scare tactics.
“We never want to create paranoia or any type of hysteria, but rather to increase awareness and simply encourage people to start thinking about it,” Guerrero said. “These are uncomfortable topics for many Americans.”
The presentation will be geared toward situations where people aren’t armed, Guerrero says, since he realizes that most Americans aren’t regularly armed.
He will discuss current trends and possible behavior indicators of potential shooters, all while driving home the point of education and preparedness, Guerrero said.
The conference will divide an active shooter situation into three phases: preparation, the actual event and the transition to recovery.
“This is common sense information that all of us need to have,” Pacific Northwest Coalition Programs Coordinator Mary Jane Olson said. “Overall, we feel like this is a public service, but I haven’t seen a service like this around.”
Guerrero is fully aware of the increased level of anxiety in society, whether people fret over terrorism or general crime. He says that’s not good and is doing whatever he can to educate rather than stir the pot.
“Knowledge is power,” said Olson. “It’s a cliché, but it’s true. Not everybody is going to be walking around with a handgun, so this is crucial information for every day people.”
