On Tuesday, June 19, (noon to 3:00 pm) First Presbyterian Church of Buffalo (One Symphony Circle) will be hosting an Active Shooter Prevention Training. Buffalo has been lucky that it has not been faced with an active shooter, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. The more prepared schools and other institutions are, the safer our children and the general public will be. It’s sad/frightening that it had to come down to this, but there are those who feel that it’s better to be safe than sorry.
“Places of worship are highly visible in the community, and church leaders can be viewed as the embodiment of inflammatory political issues, placing them at heightened risk. Typically, places of worship are seen as a sanctuary or safe haven, but the reality of today is that they are just as vulnerable to active shooter events as schools and businesses.” – First Presbyterian Church of Buffalo
The training program will be led by the Erie County SWAT Team and Buffalo Police Department in the church’s sanctuary. The training will provide people with the knowledge and the resources that they need to ensure that our public gathering spaces are as safe as humanly possible, and not target practices for active shooters. In the end, it’s impossible to prevent these types of catastrophes, but being proactive in this manner could lead to fewer instances/fatalities.
The event is free and open to the public. Reservations are not required. Free parking is available at the church and on nearby streets. Please note that Kleinhans’ parking lots are not available for this event. There is a sizable bike rack on church property.
Lead graphic: FBI.gov