Active Shooter Response: Emergency Response and Situational Awareness
Overview
Active shooter situations are unpredictable, evolve quickly, and require immediate action. This training prepares you to recognize warning signs, respond effectively using the “Run, Hide, Fight” protocol, and assist law enforcement when they arrive.
Why This Is Important
Workplace violence, while rare, can happen anywhere. Your survival may depend on decisions made in seconds. Preparedness reduces panic, improves response time, and saves lives. Understanding proper protocols also helps you support coworkers and communicate critical information to emergency responders.
Best Practices & Safety Tips
RUN
- If there’s an accessible escape path, evacuate immediately, leaving belongings behind and helping others escape if possible
- Prevent others from entering the danger area and call 911 once you’re in a safe location
HIDE
- If evacuation isn’t possible, find a secure hiding place out of the shooter’s view—lock and barricade doors
- Silence your phone, turn off lights, and remain absolutely quiet until law enforcement arrives
FIGHT
- As a last resort when your life is in imminent danger, act with physical aggression using any available improvised weapons
- Commit fully to incapacitating the shooter—survival depends on decisive action
When Law Enforcement Arrives
- Keep hands visible, follow all commands immediately, and evacuate in the direction they indicate
- Provide officers with real-time information: shooter location, number of shooters, physical description, and weapon types
Prevention and Awareness
- Maintain situational awareness daily—know evacuation routes, exits, and hiding places in your work areas
- Report concerning behaviors or threats to management and security immediately—prevention starts with awareness
Discussion Questions
- What are the primary and secondary evacuation routes from your work area?
- If you couldn’t evacuate, where would you hide that provides solid barriers and locks?
- What items in your work area could serve as improvised weapons if fighting became necessary?
- How would you communicate critical information to 911 or law enforcement during an incident?
- What behaviors or warning signs should we report to prevent workplace violence?
Takeaway
No one wants to imagine violent incidents at work, but preparation can mean the difference between life and death. Know your options, trust your instincts, and remember that decisive action during the first critical minutes dramatically improves survival chances for everyone.