Dispatchers Role in Active Shooter Incidents

CREST Shield

Instructor

Libby Howland has over 14 years of experience in dispatch.  She began her career as a Dispatcher at Ingham County Central Dispatch and has been with Eaton County Central Dispatch for over 8 years.  Howland has held the position of front-line dispatcher, CTO and has now been promoted to Supervisor.  Howland is also the Training Coordinator, leads the Public Education Team and is actively involved on the Tactical Dispatch Team and Public Relations Team.  Mrs. Howland is an active member of both the local CAPS Team and the National Phoenix Project.

Supervisor Howland was named the 2023 Supervisor of the Year by the Michigan Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) and was later awarded the 2024 APCO International Line Supervisor of the Year.  She earned her Emergency Number Professional (ENP) Certification in March of 2023.  She has a passion for Peer Support and improving the mental health of all first responsers, both past and present.  She leads the Public Education Team at Eaton County and dedicates a lot of her time educating the public about 911 and public safety as a whole.

 

Course Description

The class will examine today's Active Shooter events, history, and show new protocols and procedures, and what can be done to mitigate these events in the future. Students will have a better understanding of the need of credible, verifiable and timely information during Active Shooter Incidents.

  • Students will identify common uses of strategy and tactics during an incident.
  • Students will understand crisis call taking procedures, and the need to inform officers of the extent of the incident as well as the casualties involved.
  • Students will understand the large scope of the incident, requiring a large Mutual Aid response.
  • Students will become familiar with telecommunications issues which will negatively impact the incident, including telephone, radio communications and social media.
  • Students will understand the requirements for a Unified Command System, and the need for an Incident Command Post, Staging Areas, Triage/Treatment Areas, Victim Assistance Centers and a Media Staging Area.
  •  The students will become familiar with the recognition of Critical Incident Stress from these incidents, and the resources available for assistance for CIS issues.

Course Details

**This course is SNC Approved #OCC201806A – Continuing Education**

*No shows WILL be billed unless cancellation is received 5 days prior to the class*