Active Shooter Awareness Course (US): Lessons 2026

Lesson 1: What an active shooter incident is

The FBI defines an active shooter as one or more people actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area. CISA says these incidents are unpredictable, change quickly and are often over within 10 to 15 minutes, often before police arrive. That means the people on site must be ready to act in the first minutes.

Your role as a security officer

Your job is to warn people, help them escape or hide, call 911 and help police. National Archives guidance says security guards on site contain the situation and assist police. They should not seek out or engage the suspect. Follow your post orders and your site's plan.

Many states license security guards and set their own training. For example, California requires a guard registration from the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS), Power to Arrest training before registration, 32 hours of skills training in the first 6 months and 8 hours every year. This course is awareness only and does not replace any training your state or employer requires.

Lesson 2: Before an incident: plans and drills

OSHA's emergency action plan rule (29 CFR 1910.38) lists what a plan must include at a minimum:

• How to report a fire or other emergency
• How to evacuate, including exit route assignments
• How to account for all employees after an evacuation
• Procedures for employees who do rescue or medical duties
• The name or job title of people to contact about the plan

DHS also suggests floor plans, safe areas and information on nearby hospitals. It says facility managers should set up access controls, such as keys and security system pass codes, and place removable floor plans near entrances and exits for emergency responders.

Drills

DHS suggests drills that teach staff to:

• Recognize the sound of gunshots
• React quickly when shots are heard or a shooting is seen
• Call 911
• React correctly when police arrive
• Keep a survival mindset in a crisis

CISA's pocket card adds a simple habit: note the two nearest exits in any building you enter.

Lesson 3: Warning signs and reporting

DHS says people who become violent at work typically do not just "snap". They often show signs over time. Examples DHS gives include:

• More use of alcohol or illegal drugs
• Unexplained absences and vague physical complaints
• Explosive outbursts of anger or rage without a clear cause

DHS says this list is not complete and is not a way to diagnose anyone. Report concerns so trained people can look into them.

The Power of Hello

CISA teaches a simple approach called OHNO:

Base every report on observed behavior and facts you can explain. CISA says never to report someone based only on race, religion, sex or sexual orientation.

Under DHS's "If You See Something, Say Something" campaign, call 911 in an emergency. Otherwise, report suspicious activity to local law enforcement or a person of authority, not to DHS. Threats can also be reported to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov.

Lesson 4: During an incident: Run, Hide, Fight

Federal guidance teaches three options. Choose based on where the threat is and where you are.

Run

• If there is a safe escape path, get out, even if others will not follow.
• Leave your belongings behind.
• Help others escape if you safely can.
• Keep others from going into the danger area.
• Call 911 when you are safe.

Hide

• Pick a place out of view that gives protection and does not trap you, such as an office with a closed and locked door.
• Lock the door and block it with heavy furniture.
• Silence your phone, turn off noise such as radios, and stay quiet.
• If you cannot speak, call 911 and leave the line open so the dispatcher can listen.

Fight

Fight only as a last resort, when your life is in immediate danger. This course does not teach tactics.

Lesson 5: Calling 911 and when police arrive

DHS lists what to tell the 911 dispatcher:

• Location of the shooter
• Number of shooters
• Physical description of the shooters
• Number and type of weapons
• Number of people who may be hurt

Officers' first priority is to stop the shooter. They go toward the last shots heard, often in teams. The first officers will not stop to help the injured. Rescue teams follow them.

When officers reach you

• Stay calm and follow instructions.
• Drop anything you are holding. Keep your hands empty and visible, with fingers spread.
• Do not make sudden moves toward officers or grab them.
• Do not point, scream or yell.
• As you leave, do not stop officers to ask for help. Follow the responders' directions.

Helping the injured

DHS's Stop the Bleed campaign says bystanders will always be first on the scene and a person with severe bleeding can die within five minutes. Courses such as the American College of Surgeons' Bleeding Control Basics teach these skills. Help only when it is safe.

Lesson 6: After the incident

When the threat is over, DHS says the site should:

• Account for everyone at the assembly point to find out who is missing or hurt
• Set up a way to notify the families of people affected
• Check how people are coping and refer them to health care specialists

Expect to be held and questioned as a witness. Do not leave until police say you may. National Archives guidance says the security team keeps any CCTV recordings for the investigation and completes an incident report.