Do you have a plan to respond if a gunman should enter your business?

The possibility of an armed assault occurring anywhere in the United States is a real one, as evidenced by recent shootings at a New Jersey all and the Los Angeles International Airport.

Should such an incident happen at your place of business, will you know what to do?

In New Jersey, many stores had developed a protocol for such an emergency. Large department stores immediately moved to close off their entrances, providing customers a safe haven within. Smaller stores, where emergency plans had also been prepared, saw workers and customers head to the safest place within — even if it was a bathroom.

Local law enforcement needs to focus on subduing the gunman, so it’s left to workplace management and staff to respond to the emergency to immediately protect themselves and their customers.

The Greater Pensacola Chamber, in collaboration with the Be Ready Alliance Coordinating for Emergencies and the EscaRosa Business Continuity Initiative, will host a free seminar called "Active Shooter Awareness: Is Your Business Prepared?" on Wednesday, Nov. 20, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Downtown Library, 239 N. Spring St.

The seminar will highlight the importance of being ready if there is a gunman in the workplace and will provide important information for businesses to prepare for such an event.

There is no cost to attend, and the event is open to the public. For more information or to reserve your spot at the Chamber's free seminar on Nov. 20, visit http://pensacolachamber.com/events or call Adam Myers, at (850) 438-4081, ext. 243.

If unable to attend the afternoon seminar, businesses can participate in the web-based exercise with their staff. It will be available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the same day. To register for that exercise, visit www.drc-group.com/project/opp.html no later than noon on Nov. 20.