*Connecting the Dots Blog* (Page 2)

The new SB 553 bill requires an employer to “establish, implement, and maintain, at all times in all work areas, an effective workplace violence prevention plan containing specified information”. The new SB 553 bill also authorizes “a collective bargaining representative of an employee, as described, to seek a temporary restraining order and an order after hearing on behalf of the employee and other employees at the workplace, as described”. You will see a lot of checklists for the SB 553 requirements, and you will see a lot of vendors positioning their assessments, policy reviews, and training to check off those requirement boxes. These are theRead More →

The Columbine Massacre in 1999 and the 9-11 Terrorist Attacks in 2001 were two significant tragedies that set into motion an era of enormous investments in responding faster and in First Responders including laws, grants, planning, trainings, tools, equipment, and much more. Now, more than two decades later, we are seeing the urgent and critical need for a NEW ERA that involves First Responders AND First Preventers focused on pre-incident prevention. As shootings (school, workplace, public spaces, etc.), acts of violence, political unrest, hate crimes, terrorism/lone wolf attacks, and numerous other challenges are hitting record levels, it is becoming increasingly clear that a more intenseRead More →

$4B – Corporate defense spending on class action lawsuits increased to nearly $4 billion in 2023, with labor and employment claims the main driver of these lawsuits, according to Carlton Fields’ annual class action survey. https://riskandinsurance.com/corporate-class-action-defense-spending-hits-4b-in-2023/ What can be done to reduce legal costs and the soaring costs of settlements?  First, organizations must utilize “Pre-Incident Indicators” more effectively to successfully prevent more incidents before they occur. Awareity’s client transformations are impressive. Second, organizations must replace expensive and inefficient manual efforts with advanced, data-driven, and proven tools that empower collecting, sharing, assessing, and connecting Pre-Incident Indicators with appropriate internal and external/community resources so they can help,Read More →

Implementing Awareity’s First Preventers Framework of tools and strategies is easier when you can show Return on Value (ROV) and Return on Prevention (ROP). For Return on VALUE, consider the potential costs, pains, and consequences of incidents and tragedies when they are NOT prevented: Lives Lost Futures Ruined Reputation Damages Lawsuits and Settlements Trauma and Fear Lack of Trust Upset Families / Friends Culture Changes Workplace Distractions Negative Headlines Regulatory Fines Investigations (federal, state, legal, etc.) Insurance and Insurability And more… For Return on VALUE, consider all of the benefits of Pre-Incident Prevention when First Preventers are working together (trust, safety, less fear, confidence, unity,Read More →

Do you know the most common excuse/reason cited after almost every tragedy? Most of us have heard it hundreds and hundreds of times. “We failed to connect the dots.”  After school attacks (Columbine, Sandy Hook, Parkland, Uvalde, Oxford, and numerous others). After terrorism attacks (9-11 Attacks, San Bernardino, Boston Marathon, and numerous others). After mass attacks (Virginia Tech, Orlando, El Paso, Las Vegas, Maine, and numerous others). After suicides, workplace violence, drug overdoses, hate crimes, and numerous other incidents. “We failed to connect the dots” is the most common excuse/reason for failing to prevent preventable incidents. Why?  Because it is extremely difficult to “connect theRead More →

Since Columbine in 1999, many government agencies, experts, and authors have been searching for the “profile of mass shooters”, however the data has shown the “profile of mass shooters” does not exist. Also since Columbine in 1999, I have been researching hundreds and hundreds of shootings in schools, colleges, workplaces, and public spaces to understand why prevention efforts failed and looking for the “profile of failed preventions”.  Data validates the “profile of failed preventions” does exist. What is the Profile of Failed Preventions? After every mass shooting (as well as other incidents like workplace violence, domestic violence, school violence, suicides, drug overdoses, human trafficking, bullying,Read More →

Facts, lessons learned, student surveys, and lawsuits expose why priority changes are urgently needed for making Student Safety a higher priority than School/Campus Security. School/Campus Security is needed, however School/Campus Security (cameras, alarms, locks, gunshot detection, panic buttons, shields, etc.) solutions are not effective at collecting, sharing, assessing, and utilizing the almost always exhibited pre-incident warning signs so always available resources can take proactive pre-incident intervention actions to address soaring Student Safety challenges. STUDENT SAFETY involves proactively helping, intervening, and preventing escalations of at-risk individuals struggling with grievances, depression, suicidal ideation, violence (domestic, dating, community, etc.), sexual abuse, human trafficking, drugs, bullying, stalking, hazing, andRead More →

Curious how a tumor and a surgeon relate to School Safety?  Let me explain… Would you choose a foot surgeon, a heart surgeon, or oncology surgeon to remove a tumor in your body? No disrespect to foot surgeons or heart surgeons, but the oncology surgeon is a better choice for removing a tumor. (it was for me) If your goal is to intervene and prevent incidents before they occur (pre-incident prevention), should you choose a Security expert (incident mitigation), a First Responder (incident response), or a Pre-Incident Prevention expert? No disrespect to Security experts or First Responders, but the Pre-Incident Prevention expert is the betterRead More →

Would you rather detect cancer (and shooters) at Stage 4 or Stage 1? Detecting cancer at early stages increases your risk of surviving cancer. For example, Stage 1 means the cancer is localized to a small area and hasn’t spread to lymph nodes or other tissues. Stage 2 means the cancer has grown, but it hasn’t spread. Stage 3 means the cancer has grown larger and has possibly spread to lymph nodes or other tissues. Stage 4 means the cancer has spread to other organs or areas of your body. What about potential shooters in your school, workplace, or community, would you rather detect themRead More →