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The FBI has helped to disrupt or prevent nearly 150 shootings and violent attacks this year, in part by steering potential gunmen toward mental health professionals.

An active shooter incident, where someone with a gun is actively attempting to kill or harm people in a confined area, merits the swift action of law enforcement. Such an event is typically over in less than 15 minutes, which means immediate and effective measures must be taken to prevent deaths.

In early April, a North Carolina man by the name of Frank Arthur Janssen was kidnapped from his home. Within a few days, law enforcement agencies pinpointed the victim's location through a coordinated search effort. Janssen was ultimately rescued from an Atlanta apartment by an elite counterterrorist unit, the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team.

Faced with new threats, first responders put their training to the test in 2014. Law enforcement agencies, disaster workers and even school teachers learned new practices and honed their instincts to better allow them to survive stressful situations while caring for others. As the year comes to an end, we look back on how comprehensive training strategies contributed to effective emergency responses