OUR MODEL

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 Based on our years of researching Active Shooter events and training communities around the country in how to prevail in an Active Shooter event, we developed a proven and proactive Active Shooter model to empower our communities.  There have been plenty of Active Shooter response models that have been around for a long time, but all of them start when the attack happens.   We have the only Active Shooter response model that includes what you do before the attack as part of our survival strategies.  In fact we believe in it so much, it's the cornerstone of our training program.  We feel the the best way to survive an Active Shooter event is for it to have never happened in the first place.  This is why we place so much effort into our goal of preparation.  By having good systems in place and by having an informed populace that's aware of how to identify and get help for a potential shooter, we can intervene before it ever escalates, thus preventing an attack.    

Don't think of this as a checklist approach; it's not meant to be done sequentially.  The objective is for you to analyze your situation and determine which is the appropriate response for you and it will likely be different for each person in an Active Shooter event based on a variety of factors to include proximity to the shooter, resources available, physical ability of the potential victim, and many others.   As your situation and the Active Shooter event evolve you will likely find yourself using more than one of the strategies.  

The greatest impact you can have in an Active Shooter event is prior planning and preparation.  By  having your organization properly prepared with good plans and procedures in place we can serious affect the impact of an Active Shooter and in many cases prevent an attack from happening at all.   Every Active Shooter has exhibited multiple warning signs or signalling behaviors before an event.  If every person was informed of the behaviors and warning signs of an Active Shooter and knew what to do when they observed them we would be able to prevent a large number of attacks though early intervention.   

If you find yourself in an Active Shooter event and it's safe to do so, try and escape the area.  Why the term Escape? Escape implies careful planning and a calmly thought out series of actions to remove yourself from danger.  This is far more than just a panic stricken running away.  

If Escape is not a safe or viable option then do everything possible to Restrict the Active Shooter from being able to reach you or other victims.   This is often accomplished by placing as many barriers as you can between you and the Active Shooter to help Restrict their access.  Why the term Restrict? Like before, this is a carefully planned and calmly executed series of actions.  When we restrict someone, we are taking away their options, exactly what we want to take away from an Active Shooter.  Restrict is a proactive strategy above simply cowering under a desk hoping the situation goes away.  

When you have been directly confronted by the Active Shooter, then Escape and Restrict are no longer options; you must do whatever it takes to Protect yourself.  Whatever tools you have available can all become resources to aid in your protection.  Why the term Protect? There is no law that can deny a person their right to self protection.  Additionally, there are those that may have the obligation or the resources to protect others.  This can never be an emotional response, but instead a trained and practiced strategy to Protect your own safety.  

There are a host of other proven response models out there.  While we believe in our own model, our instructors are fully versed and certified as instructors in both the Run/Hide/Fight and the Avoid/Deny/Defend models.  We recognize your organization may have already financially invested in prior training or have existing plans using other systems.   Rather than rewrite your existing training, which can cause confusion or uncertainty among members, we will simply expand on and enhance whatever proven model you already have in place.