Mailing with this month’s Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons is Strategies to Enhance Survival in Active Shooter and Intentional Mass Casualty Events: A Compendium. This document is being distributed to a wide audience, including not only members and staff of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), but also employees of federal agencies and stakeholders interested in improving the public’s ability to respond at the scene of active shooter and mass casualty events. It was developed under the guidance and leadership of ACS Regent Lenworth M. Jacobs, Jr., MD, MPH, FACS, in response to a Presidential Policy Directive aimed at strengthening the security and resilience of the U.S. at a time when active shooter and mass casualty incidents are occurring all too frequently.
The compendium contains Hartford Consensus reports that have been published previously in the Bulletin and the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. These reports represent the deliberations of the Joint Committee to Create a National Policy to Enhance Survivability from Intentional Mass Casualty and Active Shooter Events. The committee was founded by the ACS in collaboration with the medical community and representatives from the federal government, the National Security Council, the U.S. military, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and governmental and nongovernmental emergency medical response organizations, among others, and has met regularly in Hartford, CT. In addition to the Hartford Consensus reports, the compendium contains statements from government leaders and individuals who have contributed to the committee’s efforts.
The individuals, agencies, and organizations that dedicated considerable time and expertise to the development of this compendium anticipate that this document will assist in achieving the President Policy Directive of strengthening the security and resilience of U.S. citizens when these tragic incidents occur. They also hope that the lifesaving techniques described in the articles will help to ensure that when bystanders see something where lives are at stake, they can do something to improve survivability.
Download Strategies to Enhance Survival in Active Shooter and Intentional Mass Casualty Events: A Compendium
