MSA Security Develops 'Golden 15' Strategy to Help Schools Improve Security and Survive Active Shooter Events Such as Sandy Hook

NEW YORK, Jan. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to help schools improve security and increase the survivability of active shooter events, MSA Security (MSA) has developed an innovative response strategy called "The MSA Golden 15" for defense against active shooters in schools and the workplace.

In light of the Newtown, Connecticut shooting, assessing and improving school security has become a crucial next-step for officials attempting to ensure that individuals are safe in schools and the workplace. Given the marked increase in active shooter incidents across the U.S. and because these deadly events most often take place before first responders arrive, MSA has created key practices to help schools refine their present security programs and deal with these unexpected events. While designed with schools in mind, these practices can also be adopted for business environments to deter workplace violence.

The concept behind The MSA Golden 15 hinges on the fact that on average there are 15 minutes between the initiation of an active shooter event and the arrival of law enforcement personnel. MSA refers to this 15-minute window as the "Golden 15," and has developed a corresponding Golden 15 Security Checklist to help school officials prepare and respond to the active shooter threat.

"Unfortunately, the Active Shooter phenomenon has been growing both in number and in lethality in recent years," says MSA President Michael O'Neil, a founder of the NYPD Counterterrorism Division. "MSA has studied the active shooter threat extensively and developed the MSA Golden 15 program to increase individuals' chances of survival. The goal is to make soft targets harder through planning and refinement of daily security practices and training for survival. This can be accomplished while maintaining a healthy learning environment."