Active Shooter Training

Had the pleasure (read: pain) of attending mandatory "Active Shooter Training" today. First off, they will only announce an incident as a "Hostile Event" is occurring, because this response plan deals with more than just gunfire.

The idiocy of some of the statements ran along the lines of Q: How do we know if it is safe to exit the building? A: You will be told when it is safe and if early on in the incident before Law Enforcement arrives, use your best judgement. If you make it to the muster area it must have been safe, so maybe let a friend try first.

Q: Do you or your security folks have access to any weapons in the building? A: I can't tell you that.

Basically, the "Plan" is put as many locked doors between you and the bad folks as possible and excape the building if you can.....but remember when you exit the building walk calmly, upright, with your hands over your head so the good guys don't shoot you.



DHS has an active shooter response handbook they put out in Oct 2008 which has some other interesting bits of wisdom...

"PROFILE OF AN ACTIVE SHOOTERAn Active Shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area; in most cases, active shooters use firearms(s) and there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims. Active shooter situations are unpredictable and evolve quickly. Typically, the immediate deployment of law enforcement is required to stop the shooting and mitigate harm to victims. Because active shooter situations are often over within 10 to 15 minutes, before law enforcement arrives on the scene, individuals must be prepared both mentally and physically to deal with an active shooter situation." (quotes and highlights added by OP

As a last resort, attempt to take the active shooter down. When the shooter is at close range and you cannot flee, your chance of survival is much greater if you try to incapacitate him/her.


In order you should:
1. evacuate
2. hide out
3. take action against the active shooter.

HOW TO RESPOND WHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT ARRIVES Law enforcement’s purpose is to stop the active shooter as soon as possible. Officers will proceed directly to the area in which the last shots were heard. • Officers usually arrive in teams of four (4)• Officers may wear regular patrol uniforms or external bulletproof vests, Kevlar helmets, and other tactical equipment• Officers may be armed with rifles, shotguns, handguns• Officers may use pepper spray or tear gas to control the situation• Officers may shout commands, and may push individuals to the ground for their safety.

How to react when law enforcement arrives:• Remain calm, and follow officers’ instructions• Put down any items in your hands (i.e., bags, jackets) • Immediately raise hands and spread fingers• Keep hands visible at all times• Avoid making quick movements toward officers such as holding on to them for safety• Avoid pointing, screaming and/or yelling• Do not stop to ask officers for help or direction when evacuating, just proceed in the direction from which officers are entering the premises








Too much!

Many parents have told their kids that they are to leave the school building if there is any lockdown announced, on the theory that it is harder to hit a moving target than a quivering one. Some younger kids most likely will not do so, but I'm willing to bet that those in high school will be more than happy, willing, and able to do so. Let the school and parents fight over suspension/expulsion issues afterwards - always keeping in mind that the kid is alive to be suspended/expelled.

Sometime after one of the fist contemporary school shootings there was some talk of training kids to throw books at any shooter that entered the classroom, to dogpile them, and to beat them with backpacks. A few schools tried out this plan under some sort of grant funded research and amazingly found that volunteer active shooters who wanted to wipe out the classroom/building had a hard time doing so under that sort of pressure. Sadly, "if it saves one child's life" seems to have won out over "doing this may improve the odds that some kids will survive".

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems that of late "active shooters" have committed suicide well before the cops arrive. I guess the choices are to hope that they only kill/wound a certain percentage of the school and them off themselves or to have at least one person in the school who can and will run to the sound of the gun and increase the desire of the active shooter to become dead.

I know, saying that is not allowed. So sue me.

stay safe.

My suggestion:

My suggestion during our training was for them to install a 1911A1 in a glass doored compartment, in the wall, with a hammer on a chain, much like a fire extinguisher... Break glass in an emergency... Then bells and whistles will go off alerting others that somebody had the gun or a bad guy was about to get his butt kicked...

They handed out flyers to be posted about the offices, besides the misspelling, it said to throw something at the gunman. I asked why I couldn't throw something at 950 FPS their way?

I have made recommendations in respect to preventative measures in respect to schools ~ that the state requires the kids to be there and should take responsibility.

And I agree with DHS .. most shootings are over prior to the arrival of cops...so FIX this by making entry into the bldg longer than it takes for cops to arrive..(duh).

I have offered several low-cost methods to affect this to several schools and PDs over the years ... none seemed interested. Likely more interested in their pension plans than doing their jobs.