What is an Active Shooter Situation?
Learn about the characteristics and risks of an active shooter situation. Understand how to respond effectively to such incidents and the importance of preparedness in ensuring safety.
Understanding Active Shooter Incidents
Active shooter incidents involve an individual or individuals engaging in a shooting spree, typically in populated areas like schools, workplaces, or public venues. Recognizing the patterns and potential motives behind such events can help you (or learners?) better comprehend the risks associated with active shooter situations.
Knowing how to respond during an active shooter situation can significantly increase your chances of survival and help protect others around you. Here are some essential steps to follow:
As a last resort and only when confronted by the shooter, be prepared to defend yourself and others. Act with aggression, using improvised weapons if available, to disrupt the shooter's actions and potentially incapacitate them.
If you cannot escape the vicinity, find a secure place to hide. Lock and barricade doors, turn off lights, and stay out of the shooter's view. Remain quiet and silence your phone to avoid detection.
If you can safely evacuate the area, do so immediately. Leave belongings behind and encourage others to do the same. Keep your hands visible and follow the instructions of law enforcement once you are out of harm's way.
Indications Over Time
Contrary to popular belief, active shooters usually don't just “snap" and engage in violent behavior. Instead, typically over time, they exhibit behaviors that could indicate the potential for workplace violence.
Traits of Active Shooters
Understanding the traits of active shooters is crucial for enhancing workplace safety and preparedness. By recognizing these characteristics, organizations can take proactive measures to prevent and respond to potential threats effectively.
Here are some myths to look out for:
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Common motives of active shooters include anger, revenge, and ideology.
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Active shooters most often act alone.
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Most of the time, active shooters have no method or pattern for how they select their victims.
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Active shooters often see themselves as victims and think that the act of violence is a necessary response to something that they perceived was done wrong to them.
Properly Identify Active Shooters with Training
Properly identifying active shooters is a vital skill that can save lives in potentially dangerous situations. Through comprehensive active shooter response training, individuals can learn to recognize the distinct behaviors and characteristics associated with active shooters. This specialized education equips participants with the ability to swiftly detect warning signs and take appropriate actions to mitigate risks and protect themselves and others.
Helping over 8,000 organizations create a safer, more productive workplace
EasyLlama’s online training course educates all employees with the skills necessary to keep themselves and their coworkers safe in the case of an active shooter scenario. This course will dive into the actions to take in a crisis situation, what to do when help arrives, and more. The course covers:
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