Starting with the first bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993, there have been ongoing international terrorist threats to the United States, typically targeted at major cities and infrastructure. Soft targets, such as financial institutions and office buildings, are often mentioned in security alerts. It is understood, however, that soft targets will always be vulnerable, and that vigilance and adequate response capabilities are critical.

There are typically 10 to 20 multiple-victim workplace shootings in the U.S. each year, and significantly more single-victim workplace shootings. There is also an ever-increasing average level of violence in each incident. Establishing a perimeter and evacuating the affected facilities are the first steps in responding to such an incident. Coordination and accurate data are critical to saving the lives of citizens and first responders.

The past few years has seen an increase in mass casualty shootings at shopping malls. The rampage at the Westroads Mall sent shoppers and employees running and screaming through the 1.2 million square foot development. Hundreds of terrified people barricaded themselves into a wide swath of the 135 stores and restaurants in the mall, each store needing to be later cleared by law enforcement agencies.

A fire in a Houston office building resulted in three deaths and at least six injuries, after starting in a medical supply firm on the fifth floor. As the fire spread, numerous office workers trapped by the fire called 911, however first responders had difficulty in finding all of the callers, several of which were later found dead. Thick smoke, insufficient information and communications issues hampered the efforts of the first responders.

A new report indicates that despite tens of billions of dollars being spent on airport security, more than 25,000 security breaches have occurred since November of 2001. That number translates to an average of more than five per year at each of the 457 airports in the United States. The security breach number does not include typical incidents that result in fire and police department responses, which are reported separately.