NEW YORK CITY — It’s no laughing matter.
The FDNY has reportedly issued a memo to EMS staff on how to treat active shooter situations as “Joker” hits theaters today.
The New York Daily News reports EMS officers were also told to check equipment, like ballistic plates, helmet visors, train using emergency radios and practice medical procedures.
“The online chatter is referencing “˜a group,’ the memo says, according to the newspaper. “Keep vigilant as there may be more than one assailant in the area (situational awareness). When moving through the warm zone, assailants may try to blend in as one of the victims in the attack.”
The NYPD and FDNY are telling its uniformed members to be on alert as “Joker” starts its run in movie theaters.
WNBC-TV New York reports the NYPD put a memo to uniformed police officers as well. And CNN reports the FBI and Department of Homeland Security put out an alert to law enforcement across the country earlier this week .
This comes as moviegoers were attacked in Aurora, Colorado in 2012, when a heavily armed gunman dressed in full body armor fired on the audience during a premiere showing of the “The Dark Knight Rises.”
The gunman killed 12 people and wounded 58 others.
Further reading
Training, Instinct & Careful Decision-Making Key to Active Shooter Response
Preparing EMS Agencies and Civilians to Respond to Active Shooter Events
