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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*

How can we start identifying at-risk individuals and preventing mass shootings, violence, terrorism and acts of evil? Is your community connecting the dots? Check out Awareity’s Prevention Infographic to review the dangerous gaps and disconnects that exist within communities and organizations today and the 6 Essential Steps to Prevention that can start saving lives today!   To download full infographic, click here. For a more in-depth look at a community-based approach to violence prevention, click here. Or to review our recent webinar discussing strategies your community can implement today, click here.Read More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*

I have had the privilege to speak about student safety at numerous Education conferences in the USA, Canada, South Korea and Japan over the past 5 years, and no matter where I am speaking, there is one question that produces the same audience response. The question and my response would go something like this… While sharing evidence-based data on student safety and reviewing lessons learned from tragic incidents like Columbine, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, Marysville-Pilchuck and other mass shootings and violence, I use post-event reports to reveal common grievances and concerning behaviors displayed by at-risk individuals BEFORE they executed their acts of evil. Most ofRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*

San Bernardino, Paris and a growing number of terror and violent acts prove over and over again why a new and better PREVENTION strategy is needed…and it is needed right now! Would you rather PREVENT violence and terror acts or REACT to them?? Using lessons learned from San Bernardino, Paris and hundreds of other attacks and tragedies, the new PREVENTION strategy requires a change in focus and it requires the right tools. Let’s start with focus – terrorism, mass shootings and others acts of evil are committed by evil people, so the new PREVENTION strategy needs to focus on identifying people who may be planningRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Emergency Management, Incident Reporting, Risk Management, School Safety, Workplace Violence

  A recent report from the University of Maryland’s National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) has revealed that since 1995, a much higher percentage (33%) of terrorist attacks in the United States were conducted by unaffiliated individuals, rather than by organized groups. From the Oklahoma City bombing to more recent attacks like Virginia Tech, Fort Hood, and the University of Alabama, another commonality has also been revealed; in 80% of the incidents, red flags and warning signs exist, but are often not identified. There are many reasons red flags go unreported.  Victims or bystanders may fear retaliation or theyRead More →

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In: *Connecting the Dots Blog*, Business Continuity, Emergency Management, Risk Management

  Reviewing the bipartisan Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism report card reveals lessons learned have not become lessons implemented. The report card included an ‘F’ grade in Biological Risks due to the nation’s capabilities lacking to:  Coordinate and deploy rapid response to prevent biological attacks causing mass casualties   Under Government Reform, the report card included two more ‘F’ grades for: Reform congressional oversight to better address intelligence, homeland security, and crosscutting 21st century national security missions Implement education and training programs to recruit and retain the next generation of national security experts   The two ‘F’ gradesRead More →