Active Shooter Training: Turn Fear and Uncertainty into Courage and Confidence

Active Shooter Training: Turn Fear and Uncertainty into Courage and Confidence

Fear and uncertainty are two human emotions that prevent people from reacting or acting upon a specific event or incident.

Fear and uncertainty are two human emotions that prevent people from reacting or acting upon a specific event or incident. This is primarily due to the "unknown" factor. "If I do this, what could happen to me?" (fear). One thing you need to ask yourself is, "If I do nothing, how much worse could this situation get?" (uncertainty). The answer is simple, it can and will get much worse, more damage will be done, and more people will be injured or killed.

Courage and confidence are two human emotions that give a person the determination to act or react to an event or incident in order to, in the case of an active shooter, active threat, save their own life as well as the lives of others. You must tell yourself, "I am brave enough to try and stop the attacker with the help of others that are trained." (courage). "I was properly trained by a professional on what to do in this situation so I know what to do." "Other lives may be depending on me, I can help." (confidence). Too many times though I have heard, "I have a gun," I have my CCW so I am not worried." (Misguided courage, misguided confidence).

Only through experience and effective, realistic scenario based training can you truly gain the courage and confidence needed to act and protect yourself, family, staff, parishioners, patrons, facility and assets. It is a proven fact that the more you train for something, the better prepared you are when an incident occurs, which holds true in life whether it be your career or life.

So many people have the misconception that active shooter training is only helpful in preparing for that specific incident, which couldn't be farther from the truth. Active shooter training can be useful in a wide variety of scenarios from home defense, public gatherings, a house of worship to an actual active shooter, mass shooting, event.

Too many people think that an active shooter event deals with the victims having a gun to defend themselves, which is very inaccurate. It has to do with the attacker having a gun or other weapon and how the victim(s) react to that threat. Especially considering the many gun free zones where patrons are not allowed to be armed. What do you do when you find yourself in such a situation and you are not armed? Not all active shooters use guns, they use bats or knives; however, the same best practices still apply in these situations.

From a readiness exercise we conducted at a local church, more than 55 parishioners were in attendance and the results and feedback was awesome. They all learned how quickly it can happen, how quickly it can end and the vast amount of casualties there could have been. It was unanimous that they all felt a little better informed and prepared, they also got a taste of the training that their safety team went though. They are confident that their safety team now has the knowledge, courage and confidence to protect them when an incident occurs.

About the Author

Tim Easton is the owner of Castle Defense 360. Physical Security Specialist, AT-FP, Tactics Trainer, Active Shooter & IED Response Instructor.

Featured

New Products

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.