The Importance of Active Shooter Training in Schools

The threat of an active shooter is ever-present in many Americans’ minds. But this worry is compounded if you have children or work in a school.

Most of us would rather push the thought out of our minds, and this is understandable—the idea of a shooter entering your school is a terrifying one. 

If you want to protect yourself and those close to you, then you need the right training. At Strategos International, we offer active shooter training in schools centered on prevention and response, with the goal of helping reduce fear and anxiety. If you want to know more about our training strategies, then read on.

A Common Issue

We understand that the threat of School shootings is a growing concern. While the cause behind these events is hotly debated from all sides, nobody can argue that we want our kids to learn in a safe environment..

Children all over the country are afraid to go to school, and parents are afraid to let them. But the problem doesn’t end with children and parents, either—teachers and administrators are all too aware of the ever-present danger in schools everywhere.

There’s enough to worry about as a teacher or student—you shouldn’t have to feel unsafe in the classroom.

Preparation Is Key

We want to prevent active shootings, and preparation is the name of the game. It’s all about understanding what came before, so we can prevent and respond to what might come next.

We thoroughly examine previous mass shooting events and ask ourselves what can we learn, so we can better protect our students, teachers and staff.

While it may be tempting to put off your active shooter training, if the worst case scenario does occur, you don’t want to be caught unprepared. You want to understand what to do and how to do it, and that all begins with active shooter training in schools.

Strategos International

We’re Strategos International, and we’re here to offer our professional security advice. Over the years, our team has offered security training for people all over the world. We use intuitive and effective training methods to ensure that you’re prepared for anything.

Our team is composed of highly trained consultants and instructors, from school Superintendents to Officers, to Secret Service members, so we have all the resources you need for a safer school environment. But what specific services do we offer our clients?

On-Site or Online

We have on-site training options for people who want to open an in-person dialogue. But if you would prefer to complete an online session, we have options for that, too. Our training sessions are valuable for a number of reasons.

We will explain what factors might contribute to an active shooter on campus and what signs to look out for. We will take this time to answer any questions you may have about best practices.

We enjoy talking with our clients, as we want to ensure that this is a collaborative process. There are no stupid questions—so be sure to ask them while you have the chance.

Physical Security Assessment

Active shooter training in schools is a crucial step to keeping your school, staff and students safe. Another important and very beneficial step is the physical security assessment. During this process, we will walk through your school grounds, taking note of any breaches in your security.

These breaches can take the form of a broken keycard scanner or a dead security camera. Once we’ve completed our walkthrough, we will inform you of everything that we’ve found, and then we’ll recommend steps to mitigate these concerns.

The point of this exercise isn’t to shame you for any security flaws—instead, it communicates the benefit of having a second set of eyes on your campus.

Behavior Pattern Indicators

After a shooting occurs, some of the signs may become obvious in hindsight. But it can be difficult to see the red flags before a shooting occurs.

Fortunately, there are some common behavior patterns that might indicate an impending attack. We offer a behavior pattern indicator training for anyone looking to educate themselves about common signs to look out for. Some of these topics include:

• Direct vs. veiled threats
• Repeated threats or statements
• Self-harm vs. violence statements
• Body language indicators or armed persons

Understanding how active threats behave prior to an attack is a great way to prevent them from happening in the first place.

Parental Training

Active shooter training in schools isn’t all about the students and faculty. When it comes to discussing serious matters such as this one, it’s always a good idea to include the students’ parents.

We want to give parents a dedicated period of time to voice their concerns and get their questions answered.

You can schedule a training seminar for parents. Not only will we give them a rundown on the steps they can take to ensure the safety of their children, we will also let them ask any questions of their own.

And by opening communication channels, we can help every concerned parent get a clear understanding of how to keep their children safe. 

Crisis Training

Nobody wants to picture the worst case scenario—an active shooter has entered the school and injured a student. As disturbing as that thought may be, it’s vital that we prepare for the worst outcomes possible.

The seconds immediately following an injury could be vital in saving a life. This is why we offer Crisis Casualty Care. This is a one-day medical training course for everyone. You don’t need to have any prior medical training. This class will teach you:

• What to do when the shooting stops
• Airway management
• About basic medical equipment and kits
• Self-rescue and partner rescue
• How to perform a physical exam
• Sensory deprived assessment
• And so much more

This training could be vital for protecting students or coworkers when they need it the most.

Protection Officers

Everyone can benefit from our active shooter training in schools, but training isn’t all we offer. What if you want to take additional measures? You might consider one of our School Protection Officers. Our school protection officers are so much more than a standard security guard.

If you want to install a security professional who understands exactly what to do in the event of an active shooter, this could be the right choice for you. Our officers are to be the first line of defense against any threat.

They run toward the danger, not away from it. These officers are an excellent resource to help keep your students safe. 

Custom Engagement

Now that you know all about our options for training and protection in schools, which ones should you actually choose? The most effective security plan is going to be one that’s customized to suit your particular situation.

We don’t want to trap you with a bundle full of services you have no interest in. Instead, we can build you a training plan for your needs and your needs alone.

If you want to get started on building your custom security plan, then you can do so online! We’ve built a custom service consultation tool that lets you answer a number of questions about your organization and your goals. Once this is complete, we can get started designing your plan today.

A Wide Selection of Options

While Strategos has a number of options for active shooter training in schools, we also offer training for businesses, churches, law enforcement agencies, and more. We are a Christian business, but we don’t discriminate—we want to help everyone we can.

People should feel safe while they’re working, studying, or worshiping. You shouldn’t have to worry about an active shooter while you’re going about your day.

Thanks to Strategos’s training, you can feel confident about your ability to respond when faced with an active threat.

Additional Insights

Are you still not sure about hiring us for active shooter training? Maybe you want to learn more about the Strategos method. In that case, why not consider taking a look at our custom blog? This blog is edited by us—professionals with years of experience in the security industry.

We constantly update the blog with new insights and information about how Strategos works to help people all over the world update their security.

If you have any questions about how we operate, there may very well be an answer in our blog. We want to make the security training process more convenient for everyone.

Talk With Us

We hope you’re interested in the idea of scheduling a training session with us. Active shooter training in schools may bring up some topics we’re not excited to discuss, but that doesn’t mean those topics aren’t important.

Completing this training can help you gain a better understanding of what to do during an active shooting. Don’t hesitate to get started as soon as possible. Reach out to us today.

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