Emergency Response for Active Shooters now includes Firefighters and EMS
Guard911 interviewed Colonel Chris Owens (ret.) from the Lee County Georgia Sheriff’s Office to learn about new effective practices for response in active shooter incidents. Today’s training and protocols call for firefighters and EMS to show up immediately at the scene of an active shooter event at a school or other location, and go into the emergency directly behind law enforcement.
Who is Colonel Chris Owens?
Chris Owens began his career in law enforcement even before graduating from high school, working at age 17 as a dispatcher in a Sheriff’s office in Lee County, Georgia. Within a few years he had attended the police academy and became a Sheriff’s deputy. He quickly began working on a patrol with a drug dog. This led him into 10 years of working on a drug task team and special response team. Eventually, he began to teach at the police academy.
After working in various counties in Georgia, he returned to Lee County in 2009 to work as Chief Investigator. By that time, school violence, intruders, and active shooters in churches, hospitals and schools had become a central concern for law enforcement. He quickly became respected as a trainer to help people prepare for active shooter incidents.
Over the years, Owens has worked with the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office (GA) and Tift County Sheriff’s Office (GA) and has served as a Special Response Team Operator (SRT). He has been a drug unit commander, special operations commander, staff instructor for the Georgia Public Safety Training Center Regional Police Academy (Tifton, GA), Chief Investigator, Director of Training and later served as the SWAT Team Commander.
During this time, Owens also published an article “Police the People” in 2013 in Law and Order Magazine. In 2016 Owens was asked to collaborate with two Valdosta State University Professors to research and author a chapter in a college text – Critical Examinations of School Violence and Disturbance in K-12 Education- “Response to School Violence”. In 2018 Owens became the first law enforcement officer in the state of Georgia to be certified as a School Safety Specialist. This led him to create a training program “Tragedy Averted: Know the Signs”. This class helps educate law enforcement, teachers, administrators, and parents in ways to identify red flags and missed signs of potential violent behavior.
In 2024, Owens retired from his work as a full bird colonel, but his tireless work in the area of violence prevention did not stop there. Owens continues as a dedicated advocate for protecting students and employees from violence at the hands of an intruder and is an advocate for Guard911 and the Hero911 Network.
Planning for Response to Active Shooters
We talked to Chris about his experience as an ALERRT active shooter instructor, working to help first responders prepare for active shooter events. Owens explained that first responders now know that whenever there is an active shooter incident, it is essential that all first responders are there immediately. This means that not only law enforcement need to arrive immediately – firefighters and EMS also need to arrive.
Today first responders are trained to bring firefighters and EMS directly into the building when there is an active shooter. Law enforcement officers enter first and secure portions of the building. They are then able to bring firefighters and EMS in immediately behind to provide emergency medical care to those in need.
In past years, only law enforcement would enter, and emergency medical staff would wait outside the building to have injured victims brought out. This significantly slows the process and limits access to medical care. Chris explains how the protocols have changed.
“Now, we take everyone in with us. Typically we go in as a small group. You’ll have a law enforcement officer in the front and one in the back, and then you might have two medics or EMTs or firefighters trained as basic EMTs or medics. They’re going in with them.”
EMTs Enter Immediately with Police
With this new protocol, law enforcement no longer has to quickly assess the medical needs and call back out to professionals outside the building. Medical staff goes straight in to treat people where they are injured.
Owens says this new approach is essential,
“Now everyone – fire, EMS, and law enforcement – has a seat at the table.”
Why this change? Simply put, more lives can be saved with this approach. Owens insists, “This is how you will get the best outcome. Everyone does their role.”
EMTs can save lives, so they need quick access to be able to provide medical help.
Hero911 Network is available for Firefighters and EMS
As an expert in responses to intruders and active shooters Colonel Chris Owens is delighted that firefighters and EMS can join the Hero911 Network. Owens stresses how important it is to get all the players to the table as quickly as possible. Speaking about medics, Owens says,
“You’ve got to get them in there. Remember what we know? Seconds save lives.”
When law enforcement, firefighters, and EMS are all on the Hero911 Network, they are notified immediately when a life-threatening emergency happens in the geographic area where they are located, even if they are not on duty. They can respond immediately to provide emergency assistance and life saving care.
The growing Hero911 Network connects all first responders with those in need when seconds can mean the difference between life and death.
Seconds Save Lives. Connect to the verified Hero911 Network and protect those in your care with Guard911.
