Using the available active shooter resources in your establishment is one part of being prepared for a worst-case scenario. A range of organizations from government departments to charities provide resources to prepare for an active shooter situation.
Taking proactive measures to prevent a shooting is the best way to keep the people around you safe. However, having resources to respond in the crucial minutes following an active shooter incident is also vital to save lives.
Emergency First Aid Training Providers
Many organizations offer resources to train and prepare people for an active shooter situation. Active shooters are highly dangerous as they target people in a confined and populated area. This makes what happens in the minutes before law enforcement arrives critical to the outcome.
Knowing how to react to a critical situation will help you to remain calm and make better choices. The following organizations provide invaluable first-aid resources to face an extreme situation like an active shooter:
1. Department of Defense
The Department of Defense (DoD) is the primary driving force behind the STOP THE BLEED® initiative. The DoD recognized the potential for civilians to save lives by providing immediate care to individuals experiencing severe bleeding before professional medical help arrives.
A number of organizations are qualified to provide STOP THE BLEED® courses including the American College of Surgeons, The American Red Cross, FEMA, and The National Center for Disaster Medicine & Public Health. These courses empower immediate responders to give life-saving care by identifying and treating severe bleeding.
2. American Red Cross
First Aid for Severe Trauma (FAST) from the American Red Cross is designed for high school students. However, anyone can participate in the 135-minute course. This STOP THE BLEED® course specifically focuses on bleeding control techniques including using tourniquets and pressure dressings. It also focuses on quick responses to severe bleeding, as casualties with traumatic bleeding can bleed out in less than five minutes. This course is offered online and in person.
Work with STOP THE BLEED® Suppliers
A key part of active shooter training and preparedness is having emergency medical supplies on hand. A trauma kit contains equipment like tourniquets, wound-packing gauze, and bandages to help critically injured people before EMTs arrive.
Brian Graddon is a former firefighter Paramedic and SWAT Medic and is the CEO of True Rescue, a leading STOP THE BLEED® supplier. Brian explains: “Treating massive hemorrhage is the first priority when treating a trauma patient. There is not much time before the body loses too much blood and goes into hemorrhagic shock, so it is of utmost importance to be able to recognize and treat massive bleeding effectively to decrease casualty rates.”
Government Resources
The U.S. government offers various resources to prevent an active shooter situation where possible. Check out the following resources that focus on prevention and reporting:
3. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
The DHS provides guidelines and resources on active shooter preparedness and response. For example:
- If You See Something, Say Something®: Some active shooter situations are considered domestic terrorism. The If You See Something, Say Something® campaign is a resource to help individuals, communities, and organizations recognize the signs of suspicious behavior. It also explains how to report concerning behavior to the authorities.
- Nationwide Suspicious Activity Reporting (SAR) Initiative: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, and state, local, and tribal law enforcement bodies have collaborated to offer resources to help individuals identify and report suspicious behavior.
4. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
The FBI offers training and resources on active shooter prevention and response. Their flagship course is the Active Shooter Attack Prevention and Preparedness (ASAPP) course. The ASAPP is a short, two-hour course that gives participants the knowledge and skills to survive an active shooter event. The course covers shooter scenarios in different environments like offices, public places, or places of worship.
The ASAPP also covers some bleeding control techniques. However, the Stop the Bleed® course is a much more hand-on approach to learning life-saving first aid in bleeding emergencies.
5. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
CISA provides information and tools to help organizations prepare for and respond to active shooter incidents. They provide resources for schools, houses of worship, businesses, and government and first responders.
CISA’s resources include:
- Information on the profile of an active shooter
- How to respond to an active shooter or other acts of violence in the workplace
- Creating an emergency action plan
- How to recognize signs of potential violence
Other Preparedness Training Organizations
Many organizations, institutions, and individuals have implemented the following preparedness training concepts. Find out if these organizations offer courses in your area.
6. ALICE Training Institute
The ALICE Training Institute offers training on active shooter response strategies, including the “Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate” (ALICE) method. Nearly 19 million people have already completed this course. Its course offers a trauma-informed approach and adapts to participants’ age and ability to respond to an active shooter.
ALICE training focuses on three goals: save lives, build confidence, and mitigate risk.
- Save lives: Participants will act more decisively and confidently following ALICE training. This increases the survivability of an active shooter situation.
- Build confidence: ALICE training is based on strategies to reduce anxiety and boost confidence.
- Mitigate risk: The ALICE program helps organizations meet or exceed requirements for active shooter response.
7. CRASE
The Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) course offers a slightly different approach to the well-known “Run, Hide, Fight.” This course offers strategies and guidance on how to survive an active shooter event. The course covers topics like the history and prevalence of active shooter situations, options for civilian response, medical considerations, and what to take into account when conducting drills.
CRASE approaches civilian response and is built on the principles of Avoid, Deny, Defend. It’s similar in its approach to Run, Hide, Fight with some semantic nuances:
- Avoid: “Avoid” is thought to be a more inclusive alternative to “Run” as not everyone can flee in an emergency.
- Deny: “Deny” access to your location is thought to be a stronger alternative to “Hide.”
- Defend: “Defend” is presented as a last-resort action that offers an opportunity to protect yourself and the people around you.
8. Local Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
Many local EMS agencies offer first aid and CPR training courses that include active shooter response components. Contact your local EMS agency to inquire about upcoming courses.
9. Workplace Safety and Health Programs
Large organizations may offer in-house active shooter training. Alternatively, they may partner with external providers to offer training to employees. Ensure your training matches government-approved protocols and includes the latest advice on how to act in an active shooter situation.
10. Community Organizations
Some community organizations, such as hospitals, schools, and businesses, may offer active shooter training to the public. Check with local organizations in your area.
Be Prepared to Save Lives
Familiarizing yourself with active shooter preparedness resources is the best way to empower yourself and your community to respond effectively to such tragic events. Remember, knowledge and preparedness are key to staying safe.
Preventing active shooter situations with the resources available is the best-case scenario. However, when disaster strikes, having the tools and knowledge to escape the situation and staunch bleeding in gunshot victims can save lives.