Bay County Active Assailant Taskforce

Mission:  “To provide baseline and ongoing training as well as operational protocol for all Bay County first responder agencies to utilize when responding to an active assailant incident occurring within Bay County”.

 

Background:

 In 2018, leaders of the law enforcement agencies in Bay County recognized the need for a cohesive, integrated response model when responding to an active assailant incident. They requested a taskforce be assembled to develop a plan that would encompass a multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional, multi-discipline response to any incident involving an armed assailant actively harming individuals. At that time, the Bay County Active Assailant Task Force (AATF) was developed. It was comprised of representatives from agencies from within Bay County from law enforcement, emergency medical services, fire-fighting, central dispatch and emergency management. 

The AATF was originally tasked with developing a response plan to be used during an active assailant incident in schools. This plan was to incorporate the Rapid Response Treatment model, allowing for simultaneous shooter neutralization and victim treatment/rescue. This plan has been agreed upon by all law enforcement agencies, EMS agencies, and Fire departments within Bay County as the solo model for active assailant response. To deliver their mission the AATF has identified a continuum of training, exercising, review and updates that allow the first responders of Bay County to respond to an active assailant event safely, quickly, professionally and with the fewest number of casualties.

Accomplishments:

• Over 500 first responders trained to the Bay County Active Assailant Response Plan
• Trained first responders include over 22 state, local and federal agencies
• Held tabletop and live drill exercises for over 300 first responders
• Held advisory workshops, exercises and trainings for Bay County School systems
• Spearheaded the STOP THE BLEED® Project – Bay County helping to fund raise and distribute STOP THE BLEED® stations to all of the Middle and High schools in Bay County. They continue to assist with this initiative with the intent to see these stations in all Bay County Schools
• Help train thousands of teachers, students, and community members within Bay County in the STOP THE BLEED® program
• Conducted Citizen Response to an Active Shooter Event (CRASE) training in government offices, businesses, schools and churches across Bay County