The Importance of Participating in an Active Shooter Class

An active shooter is defined as an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area. Usually, the individual uses a firearm or multiple firearms and select victims at random. There have been 160 incidents of active shooters in the U.S. since the year 2000. Those 160 incidents saw 486 people killed and 557 people wounded. In order to drastically decrease and eventually eliminate those casualties, everyone should make it a priority to take part in an active shooter class.

The First Responder

For as long as we can remember we have been told to hide and wait for the police if an active shooter situation occurs. However, we see now that the passive strategy does not keep people as safe as possible. We need to start being more proactive. More times than not, an active shooter incident is over within 15 minutes, often times before law enforcement arrives on the scene.

You cannot wait for the first responders. If you are on the scene, by default, you become the first responder. Everyone at the scene of an active shooter situation should consider themselves a first responder. 83% of active shooter incidents are ended by force. If everyone involved in the incident has the proper training then the incident can be ended sooner, saving more lives.

An Active Shooter Class Builds Confidence

No matter what the situation, proper training allows you to be prepared. Remember what it was like walking into class to find out that you have a pop quiz on information that you haven’t even looked at? Panic sets in and your brain freezes. All logic leaves your mind and you are helpless. That’s what it’s like when you aren’t prepared for an active shooter. However, if your brain freezes during an active shooter incident you don’t just fail a test; people will be wounded or killed.

Completing an active shooter class will teach you to act, rather than react, to this type of situation. It will give you the confidence to handle the extreme amount of stress that comes from an active shooter incident. Most people, when they find themselves in these situations, will freeze because their brain has never been prepared such an event. They are unsure of what to do first and they don’t have the proper training to carry out a proper defense.

Scenario-based training is crucial to developing the mental fortitude to do what needs to be done and will give you the techniques needed to physically take action. After receiving training, you will know what to do and how to do it. And most importantly, you’ll have the confidence you need to take action.

Target-Free Zones

Active shooters look for easy targets. They go to schools, churches or offices because they feel the people in those places will give them little to no resistance. Their goal is to inflict a lot of damage in a short amount of time.

When your staff undergoes an active shooter class, you can make it known to the public. Declare your location a “target-free zone”. Publicizing this ensures that people know that there are people on location trained and ready to take action if an active shooter arrives. It is a way to be proactive. At the very least It will make an active shooter think twice before coming to your school, church or office. And if that doesn’t scare them away, you’ll have the training necessary to handle the situation.

Active Shooter Classes Will Save Countless Lives

Taking part in an active shooter class is the first step in saving lives during a crisis situation. South & Associates offers a wide variety of training programs that will prepare you for any crisis situation. Our team has the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to give you customized training that fits your individual needs. Now that you understand the need to be prepared for any and all crisis situations, let’s get started.