The ability to perform effectively while under pressure is a skill that is in high demand in today’s fast-paced, high-stress, and sometimes dangerous world.

Whether you’re an athlete competing in a high-stakes event, a business executive making crucial decisions, or someone who finds themselves in the middle of an active shooter attack, the ability to stay calm and focused when the stakes are high can mean the difference between success and failure – or even life and death.

Fortunately, research has shown that with the right training, anyone can learn how to improve their performance under stress. In this article, we will explore the ways in which training can help the public during emergencies such as active shooter incidents (ASIs).

An Urgent Need for Active Shooter Safety Training

We can’t ignore that across America, the number of ASIs is rising. In fact, the FBI documented 484 attacks over the course of the last 23 years. In 2021, a record-high year, there was more than one ASI happening every week. (FBI 2021a, 2021b, 2022, 2023)

These extremely dangerous and unpredictable situations can have devastating consequences for individuals and entire communities. As such, it is critical that businesses, individuals, schools, and communities are prepared to respond to these incidents in a quick and effective manner.

Deer in the Headlights

On December 11th, 2012, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Matt Swanson responded to an active shooter event at the Clackamas Town Center. In his police report he documented his observations: “At this junction I observed two individuals standing inside Macy’s seemingly dazed, but not injured.” He continued in his report, “I saw sporadic people walking around, seemingly dazed talking on their cell phones, or just aimlessly looking around.” (CCSO 2013)

The “dazed” shoppers he witnessed most likely lacked training. They simply didn’t know what to do because they weren’t taught what to do. Sergeant Swanson’s observations illustrate the need to train the public to ensure they don’t freeze in the face of an emergency.

Training Improves Response

Training for active shooter incidents is critical for several reasons.

First, it can help individuals and organizations better understand the nature of the threat, how to respond, and how to prevent attacks from occurring. This includes recognizing warning signs and knowing when to Evacuate, Lockdown, or Fight.

Second, training can help individuals and organizations develop a coordinated response plan that can be implemented quickly in the event of an incident. This can help to minimize confusion and chaos, and ensure everyone knows their role in responding to the incident.

Finally, training can help individuals and organizations build resilience and confidence, which can be critical in the aftermath of a traumatic incident.

The FBI defines an active shooter as “as one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area.” The FBI elaborates, “the ‘active’ aspect of the definition inherently implies the ongoing nature of the incidents, and thus the potential for the response to affect the outcome.” (FBI 2021a)

The ongoing nature of these incidents provides an opportunity for people to take specific actions to affect the outcome. However, without proper training, communities cannot benefit from lessons learned from past attacks and the specific actions they can take to prevent or stop such incidents.

After-Action Reports Consistently Stress the Importance of Training

Throughout your professional or personal life, you may have come across After-Action Reports (AARs), which are commonly used to evaluate the overall performance of a team, organization, or individual after the conclusion of a project or event. The purpose of an AAR is to examine what aspects of the effort went well, what didn’t work, and what could be improved upon for future endeavors.

The use of AARs extends beyond general event management and is also a tool used to document the response to active shooter attacks. Typically, first-responder training is mentioned in AARs. Moreover, several AARs emphasize the importance of training members of the public in responding to these types of threats.

Real World Examples

An AAR that recorded the response to the Inland Regional Center (San Bernardino, California – 2015) attack stated, “Civilian and private sector training for an active shooter event can save lives.” Additionally, individuals who had received training before the attack “reported that active shooter training had taught them the skills they needed to protect themselves and others.”

Ironically, some of the survivors had undergone active shooter training the previous year within the same conference room where the attack occurred. Several of those survivors “acknowledged that they survived the attack because they had attended active shooter training in the very conference room in which the attack occurred.” (Braziel 2016)

Subject matter experts who investigated other attacks delivered similar messaging about the importance of training civilians within their AARs.

• Washington Navy Yard (Washington D.C. – 2013)”Facilities should conduct regular awareness training and drills for their employees and building occupants so everyone will know what to do in the event of an emergency.” (MPD 2014)

• Northern Illinois University (DeKalb, Illinois – 2008)”Comprehensive training and exercise of emergency response plans and systems are a necessary part of emergency preparedness. Training for staff, faculty, and students in recognizing and understanding emergency alerts and the appropriate immediate response actions are essential to safeguarding lives.” (NIU 2008)
• Virginia Beach Government Center (Virginia Beach, Virginia – 2019)”Workplace violence prevention training needs to be mandatory and ongoing for all personnel as well as customized for specific internal audiences” and “employees also need to be trained routinely on response procedures (e.g., shelter-in-place, evacuation) to different kinds of events (e.g., fires, chemical spills, active assailant incidents).” (Heintze 2019)

Credible Organizations Encourage Active Shooter Safety Training for the Public

Federal, state, and local governments all recommend civilians be trained in responding to active shooter incidents. The FBI, one of the top government agencies tracking these types of attacks, stated, “These study results support the importance of training and exercises— not only for law enforcement but also for citizens.” (Blair 2014)

In a 2021 report, the Department of Homeland Security acknowledged the importance of training the public. “Training is one of the best activities to help prepare personnel to react quickly and effectively in emergency situations,” and that awareness campaigns “help ensure a much higher chance of reacting quickly and surviving an incident.” (DHS 2021)

An overwhelming number of government agencies and other professional organizations recommend multi-option response training to members of the public. These organizations include:

• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
• United States Army New York Police Department (NYPD)
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
• Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT), Texas State University

Choosing the Right Training Provider for Your Employees’ Needs

Training is an essential aspect of acquiring skills or knowledge in any field. However, the benefits of training can only be realized if the curriculum is grounded in sound research and delivered by professional instructors with a background in active shooter response.

It is critical to find credible experts to deliver the training to your organization. When seeking out training as important as this, first do your homework.

• Is the curriculum based on best practices and sound research?
• Has the curriculum been properly reviewed and vetted?
• Are the instructors true experts in the field of active shooter safety training?
• Does the training provider continually monitor ASI trends and adjust the curriculum in a timely manner?

When it comes to preparing your employees, it’s important to select a training provider who has invested time and effort in creating a comprehensive curriculum that caters to your workforce.

For example, First 30 Group specializes in active shooter safety training and conducts thorough research to ensure their programs are effective. The research includes an extensive review of over 670 active shooter attacks from around the world, analyzing thousands of pages of after-action reports, police reports, witness statements, and court documents. Furthermore, First 30 Group interviewed 25 survivors of attacks from around the world. From Columbine High School, to Pulse Nightclub, to Mumbai, India — these survivors provided valuable insights into how attacks unfold and what actions can be taken to increase safety.

After the curriculum was developed, a team of subject matter experts reviewed the materials and made recommendations for improvement. The Curriculum Review Team included a retired police chief, a retired state police lieutenant, and three civilians who survived active shooter attacks. One of these survivors, Stephen Willeford, was honored at the 2018 State of the Union Address for his role in stopping the attack at First Baptist Church (Sutherland Springs, Texas – 2017).

Selecting a provider with a solid research foundation and skilled professional instructors is key to ensuring employees receive top-notch workplace violence safety training. When you choose a legitimate training provider, you can rest assured your employees are receiving the most up-to-date best practices training available. Additionally, skilled instructors are essential to ensuring your employees are fully engaged and able to apply what they’ve learned in the real world.

In-Person vs. Online Training

Although online training has become more accessible over the years, it is crucial to opt for in-person training when dealing with a topic as serious as surviving an active shooter incident. Direct interaction between the instructor and trainees fosters an engaging and collaborative learning environment, enhancing overall information retention, something that cannot be done online. Furthermore, in-person training presents more opportunities for hands-on experiences, such as tabletop exercises, which are invaluable in practicing emergency decision-making and team-building.

Katherine Schweit is a retired FBI agent who led the bureau’s active shooter program. In her book “Stop the Killing,” she wrote, “Live training by a skilled instructor is by far the most effective type of training, as instructors take the original materials and tailor them to the needs of the audience.” (Schweit 2021)

In conclusion, it is crucial for communities to be prepared and trained to respond to active shooter incidents. The ongoing nature of these incidents presents opportunities for people to take specific actions to mitigate the number of casualties or even bring the attack to an end. By taking proactive measures to prepare for critical events such as ASIs, businesses can protect their employees, customers, and assets, as well as minimize the financial and reputational damage that can result from a crisis.  With training from a reputable provider and proper planning, communities can be better equipped to respond to and prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.

References

• Blair, J. Pete, and Schweit, Katherine W. (2014). A Study of Active Shooter Incidents, 2000 – 2013. Texas State University and Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington D.C. 2014.
• Braziel, Rick, Frank Straub, George Watson, and Rod Hoops. 2016. Bringing Calm to Chaos: A Critical Incident Review of the San Bernardino Public Safety Response to the December 2, 2015, Terrorist Shooting Incident at the Inland Regional Center. Critical Response Initiative. Washington, DC: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
• CCSO (Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office). 2013. Incident File 12-36745, Investigation of Murder of Cindy Yuille & Steven Forsythe, Investigation of Attempted Murder of Kristina Shevchenko.
• DHS (Department of Homeland Security). 2021. Planning and Response to an Active Shooter.
• FBI. 2021a. Active Shooter Incidents 20-Year Review, 2000-2019.
• FBI. 2021b. Active Shooter Incidents in the United States in 2020.
• FBI. 2022. Active Shooter Incidents in the United States in 2021.
• FBI. 2023. Active Shooter Incidents in the United States in 2022.
• Hillard Heintze. 2019. An Independent Review of the Tragic Events of May 31, 2019.

Greg Pass is the Director of Training and Research at First 30 Group, a leader in Active Shooter Safety Training. He is a retired police lieutenant from the Washington, D.C. National Capital Region with an extensive background in active shooter training and response. He also serves on the board of directors for the VTV Family Outreach Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to assisting survivors of mass attacks across the country.