Carper, Leahy introduce bill to assist communities in active shooter situations

U.S. Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced legislation on Wednesday to assist communities in preparing for and responding to active shooter events.

The bill, the Active Shooter Preparedness Enhancement Act of 2016, would ensure that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provides expertise to local and state partners so that communities can develop emergency action and response plans for active shooter and mass casualty incidents in both public and private locations.

The bill would also assist communities with strategies for evacuating and providing care for victims, developing a plan for establishing a unified command, developing a plan to coordinate communication with police and emergency response personnel and volunteer organizations, and assist in scheduling regular testing of equipment used to receive communications during an emergency.

“Too many communities across the country have been ripped apart by unspeakable acts of violence at the hands of active shooters. From Charleston to San Bernardino to Orlando to Dallas less than one week ago, these senseless attacks are reminders that we must continue to do more to help the American people address this threat,” Carper said. “While we must continue to prevent these tragic incidents from happening in the first place through sensible gun safety measures, we must also make sure that our communities, and especially those on the front lines every day, have the tools and training to respond quickly and effectively. By providing local and state partners with guidance and resources from the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies, we can work together to ensure that our first responders are well-equipped and ready when unexpected situations arise.”

A companion bill was introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL).