Active shooter response training has received much attention over the last couple of decades.  The reason for this is clear, we want and need to be better prepared for emergency events which threaten the lives of our citizens.  Many of the response models include some variation of “Run, Hide, Fight”.

The Run, Hide, Fight Concept

The Run, Hide, Flight phrase was coined through a Department of Homeland Security Grant Funded Project of the Regional Catastrophic Planning Initiative as part of the Ready Houston campaign.

The idea is simple:

• Run when you can
• Hide if you cannot safely run
• Fight if it is the last resort.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security provides more detailed instructions in the Active Shooter How to Respond Guide.

Run, Hide, Fight Criticism

This model has received its share of criticism over the years.

Is it effective?

There has been criticism against hide and fight. In terms of fight, not everybody is a warrior or wants to be.  While it is an important concept to incorporate into active shooter response training, it is just one piece of the puzzle. “Run, Hide, Fight” has gaps that need to be filled. It may not be the all-in-one solution, but it provides a framework to build upon.

How do I know when to run and when to hide?

One of the most common questions is, “How do I know when to run and when to hide?” It depends on your position. It is important to maintain situational awareness and to make good tactical decisions based on the circumstances you find yourself in.

• Run if you have an accessible escape path. Leave your belongings behind. Help others escape and prevent individuals from entering the building. Call 911 once you are safe.
• Hide if you do not have an escape path. Select a hiding place that is out of the active shooter’s view, provides protection if shots are fired in your direction (ex: closed and located door), and does not restrict your movement. If you hide, make sure to silence your phone, turn off any noise or lights, remain quiet, and hide behind large items.
• Fight and take action against the active shooter as a last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger. Attempt to disrupt and/or incapacitate the active shooter.

What if I don’t know what to do or panic?

The run, hide, fight concept breaks down when someone doesn’t know what to do or panics. Two challenges are a lack of situational awareness and an inability to determine the best course of action.

Not everybody is situationally aware. The average person is not trained to quickly recognize dangerous events, not prepared to analyze tactical advantages, and not inoculated against the hidden dangers of panic.  Physiology tells us that when the human brain is subjected to high stress levels, cognitive processing becomes impaired.  People panic, and panic can lead to poor decision-making or even worse, no decision-making. 

Training and technology can help overcome poor situational awareness and improve decision-making.   There are many products out there to help recognize the threats, notify others of the threats, and separate people from the threat. Training teamed up with technology gives us the best chance at surviving emergency events. 

How the Soteria System Builds Upon the Hide, Run, Fight Concept

The Soteria System provides the technology to build upon the run, hide, fight framework and overcomes two of the greatest challenges: lack of situational awareness and poor decision-making. The Soteria System enhances situational awareness with shot detection and an effective alarm and response system. To overcome poor decision-making, it provides visual direction via laser projection to eliminate the reliance on human judgment on whether to run, hide, or fight.

How do you know what to do? If you see the green arrows, you know the direction to run. If you cannot run, the Soteria System facilitates immediate safe lockdown of the rooms when individuals cannot be guided safely from the threat. Lastly, the red X laser projection indicates immediate dangers indicating to individuals that danger is near and guiding first responders towards the threat so that it can be neutralized as quickly as possible.

As the exit sign of the future, the Soteria System serves as an emergency evacuation system and is designed to protect and save lives in dangerous events.

The Soteria System provides the technology and is designed to be intuitive. When a facility is covered by the Soteria System, it can act as a training aid as well as an emergency evacuation guidance system.  In a training scenario, the Soteria System can be activated to simulate a threat that has been detected.  The devices in the hallway will display evacuation routes and the in-room indicators will provide threat notification.  Building occupants can practice lock-down drills and evacuation routes based upon site-specific threats.

At Safepro Technologies, we believe we have a moral imperative to do all that we can to prepare and protect those that depend upon us.  While we have come a long way in active shooter training, the embracing of potentially life-saving technology has been painfully slow.  These devices should be in every school, every stadium, every warehouse, every hospital, every courthouse and government building.  Harden the target, train your people, and deploy the technology!