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Follow-Up Safety Training Information

Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events

  • Disaster Response – How do people respond to disasters and high stress events.
    • There are three stages
      1. Denial
        1. You must move past this stage very quickly.
      2. Deliberation
        1. Process information and decide what to do.
          • Having a prior plan will help.
            • Mental script and practice
        2. Try to stay calm.
          • Willpower
          • Combat breathing
          • Shift your emotion
          • Stay fit
      3. Decisive Moment
        1. You must act quickly!
  • Active Shooter Events
    • Active shooter as defined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is an individual actively engaged in killing, or the attempt to kill, people in a confined and populated area.
    • The “Shooter”
      • No set profile
      • Typically an avenger mindset
      • Some broadcast of event
      • Approximately a 50% chance they are connected to the place the event occurs.
    • Location
      • Occur at places of commerce over 50% of the time.
      • Schools represent about 25%, even though these events are often thought of as a school-based event.
    • Number of Deaths
      • Two driving factors
        1. How quickly do police respond and confront the attacker.
          • On average it will take law enforcement at least 3 minutes to respond.
        2. How quickly can the attacker locate and target potential victims.
          • Crowded room vs. empty room
  • Civilian Response
    • Move past Denial to Deliberation as quickly as possible.
      • Don’t deny that what you’re hearing may be gunshots.
      • Do not “Hide & Hope” or play dead, these are not effective strategies.
    • Deliberation
      • Avoid the situation ASAP
        • Be aware of your surroundings
        • Know your exit options
        • Call 911
      • Deny access to your location
        • Lock the door and barricade it.
          • The heavier the better, doorstops, etc.
        • Turn out the lights.
        • Get out of sight.
      • Defend yourself if necessary
        • You have a legal right to defend yourself when someone is trying to hurt or kill you.
        • Fight hard, your and other’s lives will depend on it.
        • If possible, position yourself where you can surprise the attacker.
        • If you have a weapon use it. If not, grab the attacker’s weapon or hands.
          • Hands are dangerous
          • You are not helpless!
          • What you do matters!
  • When the Police arrive
    • Follow commands.
    • Show your empty hands.
    • Do not move until told to do so.


Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC)

Why is this training needed? During and immediately after every mass-trauma event the civilian population regularly brings up two items:

  1. Those that want to help don’t have the training to help.
  2. Those that have the training to help don’t have the equipment to help.

Class Agenda

Until Help Arrives:

  • You Make a Difference
    • Steps you can take when responding to a life-threatening situation
    • Different reactions you may have in a stressful situation
    • Importance of practice and rehearsal to improve your response to a life-threatening situation

Stop the bleeding:

  • Recognize life-threatening bleeding
    • Steps to control bleeding
    • Apply steady pressure
    • Tourniquets
    • Chest seals
    • Wound packing

Bleeding Control/Mass Trauma Kits