NCS ⁴

Best Practices Report on Vehicle Ramming Incidents

 

As these attacks increase, safety and security management should evaluate perimeter protection practices and identify areas for improvement. For campuses, particularly during large events, "attention should be given to traffic management and crowd control issues. Other aspects may include facility design elements (i.e. bollards, fencing, enclosures), parking lots and other parking structures, and designated tailgating or 'fan experience' areas."

 

The report includes best practices that address issues related to perimeter protection, vehicular screening, and crowd movement, and are the result of the 2016 Intercollegiate Athletics Safety and Security Best Practices Compliance Survey. The survey is available from NCS ⁴  upon request. Important takeaways include improving middle and inner perimeters, such as waste removal or food delivery trucks. For example, credentialing should be performed to identify drivers and confirm that approval was granted prior to an event. For other soft target areas, using physical protection systems (both mobile and fixed) can help protect pedestrian walkways and tailgating zones.

Fentanyl and Synthetic Opioid Safety Recommendations for First Responders

The increased prevalence of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids continue to cause devastating effects across the nation. Fentanyl is a drug that alleviates pain without causing loss of consciousness, and exposure to it can be fatal. It can be absorbed into the body via inhalation, oral exposure or ingestion, or skin contact. 

On October 26, 2017, President Trump declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency. It is critical for first responders to understand how to protect themselves from exposure. Law enforcement, including campus police, fire, rescue, and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel must balance safety with mobility and efficiency when responding to scenes where the presence of fentanyl is suspected.

 

Last week, the White House released printable guidance,  Fentanyl Safety Recommendations for First Responders  (PDF), outlining evidence-based safety recommendations first responders can use when encountering opioids, specifically fentanyl. The recommendations can help protect first responders when the presence of fentanyl is suspected during the course of their daily duties, including responding to overdose calls and conducting traffic stops, arrests, and searches.

 

The recommendations are the result of a federal interagency working group coordinated by the White House National Security Council and fall into three specific categories:  

Associations and organizations representing the medical, public health, law enforcement, fire/EMS, and occupational safety and health disciplines provided input to inform the group's efforts. Their feedback helped ensure the recommendations are operationally relevant, appropriately tailored to first responders, and conveyed in a user-friendly one-page format.

 

For more information on fentanyl, including its characteristics and emergency response recommendations, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Fentanyl: Incapacitating Agent web page.