The recent shooting violence at Northern Illinois University highlights a growing problem for school administrators and security departments as well as an increasing safety concern for parents. While this follows similar events at Louisiana Technical College, Delaware State University and Virginia Tech, there is no pattern that would help prevent these kinds of violent acts. The best that administrators can do is prepare for all emergencies.

Experts are certain there will be more shootings eventually. Because many of these incidents have a copycat component, it's important for all of us to keep our eyes open for suspicious activity. Colleges and universities are increasing security and finding quicker ways to inform students, staff and parents of emergencies. School security departments are holding live shooter drills to help students and faculty survive an event. Several cities and schools are installing area wide alert systems that can do a telephone blast to faculty, staff, students and parents. Others are reportedly launching text messaging systems that can send emergency information directly to cell phones.

School shootings are difficult to anticipate. Many of the shooters, like Northern Illinois shooter Stephen Kazmierczak, have no history of run-ins with law enforcement. Many shooters kill themselves as their final act. Schools should also prepare for emergency situations like Columbine, where the event was long lasting, violent weather, as with the recent tornado at Union University in Tennessee. In such cases, school plans should include methods to deliver vital information to first responders and emergency workers. That’s what we do here at Critical Response Solutions. There is no security provider that can predict when or where a crisis will happen. Our solutions can help to minimize the losses when a crisis happens.