Active Shooter Response Essentials

Description

This 8-hour intensive training is designed for armed citizens, school staff, church security teams, private security, and law enforcement officers who are serious about being prepared to respond to an Active Shooter. 

4 Hours – Classroom (with working lunch)

History and trends of Active Shooter events Lessons learned from schools, churches, businesses, and government sites: Organizational and individual response strategies

Gear, skills, tactics, training, and mindset for armed responders

Skills assessment to establish your baseline. Drills to balance speed with 100% accuracy

Exercises to determine your personal maximum effective distance

(Time permitting) alternate positions and accurate movement/advancement drills

This is NOT a 'how to shoot' class. Instead, it focuses on training to maximize your ability to respond decisively and accurately in stressful situations.

Topics Covered

This course provides a practical, research-driven approach to surviving and stopping an active shooter attack. Students will learn:

• The mindset and behavior patterns of active shooters and violent offenders

• Lessons learned from four decades of real-world attacks in schools, churches, businesses, and public spaces

• Decision-making under extreme stress — how to respond quickly and effectively

• Target identification and threat discrimination in crowded environments

• Prioritized tactics for armed responders to stop the killing and stop the dying

• Movement, cover, angles, and positional advantage during a gunfight

• Communication with team members, victims, and arriving law enforcement

• Gear considerations — holsters, magazines, optics, ammunition, belts, and support equipment

• Post-shooting actions: securing the scene, rendering first aid, and transitioning authority to law enforcement

Expectations and Outcomes

By the end of the training, students will be able to:

• Explain the common traits, motives, and attack patterns of active shooters

• Identify immediate priorities during an active shooter event — Stop the killing / Stop the dying / Communicate / Secure the scene

• Make rapid decisions under extreme stress using proven response models

• Apply movement and positioning principles to break ambushes and gain tactical advantage

• Engage a hostile threat with accuracy while reducing risk to innocent bystanders

• Communicate effectively with team members and arriving law enforcement

• Perform immediate trauma care to stabilize victims until EMS arrives

• Transition from response mode to scene security and post-incident management

Types

Intermediate, Active Shooter Response Training, Church / Business - Safety / Security, Concealed Carry Training, Scenario Based Training

Documentation Requirements

No additional documentation is required.

Requirements

Classroom

• Notebook/writing pad

• Pen or pencil

• Water/lunch/snacks

Range

• Handgun in good working condition

• 3 magazines minimum (4 recommended)

• 300 rounds factory ammunition (no reloads)

• Rigid holster that covers trigger guard (NO soft or fabric holsters)

• Sturdy belt to support holster

• Eye & ear protection

• Baseball / brimmed hat

• Closed-toe shoes and weather-appropriate clothing

Optional but recommended: gloves, magazine pouches, knee pads, sunscreen, towel

• No live ammunition allowed in the classroom, at any time

• Firearms will be safety-checked before range use

• Safety violations will not be tolerated