Active Shooter Response Training

What is Active Shooter Response Training?

In 2019, a disgruntled former employee entered a municipal building in Virginia Beach and opened fire. Employees who had recently completed active shooter training described using their knowledge to barricade doors, direct coworkers to exits, and call 911 with specific location details. Investigators credited that training with saving lives -- people who had rehearsed responses acted within seconds instead of freezing.

Active shooter response training equips workers with survival strategies for violent incidents involving armed threats. Based on FBI and DHS "Run-Hide-Fight" guidelines, it focuses on split-second decision-making, situational awareness, and coordinated action with law enforcement. The goal is not to create heroes -- it is to give every person a mental framework so they can act decisively when seconds determine survival.

Key Components

1. Run-Hide-Fight Decision Framework

• Run first: If you can see or reach an exit safely, leave immediately -- do not gather belongings, do not wait for others who refuse to move, and do not use elevators.
• Hide if you cannot run: Lock and barricade the door with furniture, move away from the door, silence your phone, turn off lights, and stay below window level.
• Fight only as a last resort: If directly confronted, commit fully -- use fire extinguishers, chairs, or any improvised tools, and act as a group to overwhelm the threat.
• Practice the "30-second mental walkthrough" at the start of each shift: identify your two nearest exits, one lockable room, and one improvised defensive item from where you are right now.

2. Site-Specific Evacuation and Shelter Planning

• Map primary and secondary escape routes for every area you work in -- routes change when construction, locked doors, or shift patterns alter building access.
• Identify rally points at least 300 feet from the building where you can be accounted for without clustering near entrances law enforcement will approach.
• Know where interior rooms without windows exist for shelter-in-place; pre-position door wedges or locks in rooms that lack them.
• Coordinate with building alarm and PA systems so "lockdown" versus "evacuate" signals are distinct and universally understood.

3. Post-Incident Recovery and Support

• Understand that when law enforcement arrives, they will move toward the threat -- keep your hands visible, follow all commands, and do not point or grab at officers.
• Expect psychological impact even if you were not physically harmed; critical incident stress debriefing and Employee Assistance Programs should be accessed without stigma.
• Participate in after-action reviews to update site plans based on real observations -- "the east stairwell was locked" is the kind of detail that saves lives next time.
• Support coworkers in the days and weeks following an event; behavioral changes, anxiety, and avoidance are normal responses that benefit from peer acknowledgment.

Building Your Safety Mindset

1. Train Your Brain Before You Need It

   • Mental rehearsal is proven to improve reaction time -- spend 30 seconds when you arrive at any location identifying exits and cover, not just at work but in restaurants, theaters, and stores.
   • Accept that denial ("this cannot be happening") is the most dangerous initial reaction; training overrides denial with action.
   • Review news accounts of actual events not for fear, but to study what survivors did in the first 60 seconds.

2. See Something, Say Something -- Every Time

   • Report threatening language, fixation on violence, or alarming behavioral changes through your organization's reporting channel, not just to coworkers.
   • Understand that most workplace violence events have warning signs; early intervention through HR, EAP, or threat assessment teams can prevent escalation.
   • Build a culture where reporting concerns is seen as caring for a colleague, not betraying them.

3. Make Preparedness a Team Norm

   • Bring up active shooter preparedness in safety meetings without making it taboo -- familiarity reduces panic.
   • Advocate for annual hands-on drills, not just video training; physical practice builds muscle memory for barricading and route-finding.
   • Ensure new employees receive this training during onboarding, not months later.

Discussion Points

1. Right now, from where you are sitting or standing, what are your two nearest exits and one room you could barricade -- can you answer without looking?
2. If you heard gunshots in our building, what would you realistically do in the first 10 seconds -- and does that match the Run-Hide-Fight framework?
3. How would you feel about reporting a coworker's threatening behavior, and what barriers might stop you from doing so?

Action Steps

• Do a 30-second mental walkthrough right now: identify your two nearest exits, one shelter room, and one improvised defensive item from your current position.
• Confirm you know the difference between your facility's "lockdown" and "evacuate" alarm signals -- ask your supervisor if you are unsure.
• Check that your phone has 911 and your facility's security number saved, and that your ringer can be silenced quickly.
• Request or schedule an active shooter drill for your team within the next 90 days if one has not been conducted in the past year.