The Importance of Updating Training

Do you provide active shooter preparedness training for your employees?

When was the last time it was updated?

It’s important that your active shooter preparedness training is regularly updated with the latest information. Updated training can inform your staff about lessons learned from previous shootings, changes in policies and procedures, and keep the training fresh in their minds.

For example, pulling a fire alarm during an active shooter event is not generally advised. In the past, some have used fire alarms as warning signs to others to get out of the building. We now know that this can potentially put people in harm's way. Fire alarms bring in firefighters who are prepared for fires, not active shooters. If the shooter is still in the building, a fire alarm may put the firefighters at risk, too.

Learn other aspects of active shooter training that need updating.

Your Staff Needs Specialized Active Shooter Training

Is your training relevant to your industry?

Industry specific training is more useful and impactful than generic training. If your current training uses a “one size fits all approach,” your employees could be missing out on relevant information regarding how to respond to an active shooter in their unique environment. For example, field-based employees in the utilities sector won’t receive the full benefits of training if the training takes place in an office environment.

TPOP offers industry specific training for:

• Corporate facilities
• Utilities
• Fast Food and Restaurants
• Grocers and retailers
• Healthcare
• Mass gatherings
• Houses of worship

Let’s talk about updating your training today.

How to Create a Tourniquet

Did you know the average active shooter event lasts 3-5 minutes, but it takes EMS and police about 10 minutes to show up?

How can you treat the injured before EMS arrives?

The majority of the wounds you’ll see during an active shooter event include some degree of blood loss. You must address major blood loss first before other injuries. Remember, every second counts!

How to Fashion a Tourniquet

Tourniquets are a great way to stop blood loss from a limb and can be created with household objects. A tourniquet consists of 3 components: a loop, stick, and lock. For the loop, you can use items like belts, ties, and computer cables. The stick can be a remote, a pair of metal scissors, or any straight, rigid object around 6 inches long.

First, you must tie the stick in place over the bleeding extremity to keep it from unraveling. Go as high on the extremity as possible and tie an overhand knot. Apply the stick and tie another overhand knot. Twist the stick and apply pressure. Once the blood flow has stopped, secure the stick.

Never apply a tourniquet over a knee or elbow. If these areas are bleeding, place the tourniquet a few inches above the joint. Check on your tourniquet frequently to make sure it’s still working, but never remove it.

Learn other ways to stop bleeding.

Create an Active Shooter Response Plan for Your Workplace

To some, it might seem unnecessary to learn how to respond to injuries because they believe their risk of an active shooter event is low. Risk is not just about probability - it’s a combination of probability, vulnerability, and consequences. Use this formula to get a true picture of your risk. 

It’s your duty to prepare your workplace and keep your staff safe. You can teach your staff what to do in preparation of an active shooter event or other type of workplace violence with online training. TPOP’s active shooter preparedness training will help you create an active shooter response plan customized for your workplace.

Let’s talk today about your company’s risk.

How to Locate Arteries and Stop Major Bleeding

Is your workplace prepared for an active shooter event?

Do you have a response plan in place?

Do you have Stop the Bleed kits? 

The average active shooter event lasts between 3-5 minutes, but it takes police and EMS about 10 minutes to arrive on the scene. Before they arrive, your employees are on their own. They need to be prepared to act as a first responder for themselves and the injured.

How to Stop Major Bleeding

Use pressure points: apply pressure to the primary artery that delivers blood and press on it to pinch it closed. You can find arteries based on their pulsing. If you’ve found the right artery, the bleeding will slow down dramatically.

Major bleeding from arms: The artery you need to close is most likely the brachial artery, which is located above the elbow bone, between your large upper arm muscles. To close this artery, make your hand into a “c” shape and apply pressure to the area.

Major bleeding from legs: You’ll need to close the femoral artery, which is located near the top of your thigh, in the crease of the groin. This artery may require more pressure to close. Press down on the area with your body weight onto the heel of your hand. If more pressure is needed, use your knee.

Where to Source Bandages

Bleeding from the neck, armpit, and groin can’t be closed using pressure points or tourniquets. These areas must be bandaged to help form a clot. You can use towels, clothes, and socks as improvised bandages. Hold the bandage for at least 5 minutes firmly and directly over the wound to ensure you’ve stopped the bleeding.

Learn more about responding to injuries.

Create an Active Shooter Response Plan for Your Workplace

To some, it might seem unnecessary to learn how to respond to injuries because they believe their risk of an active shooter event is low. Risk is not just about probability - it’s a combination of probability, vulnerability, and consequences. Use this formula to get a true picture of your risk. 

It’s your duty to prepare your workplace and keep your staff safe. You can teach your staff what to do in preparation of an active shooter event or other type of workplace violence with online training. TPOP’s active shooter preparedness training will help you create an active shooter response plan customized for your workplace.

Let’s talk today about your company’s risk.

How to Attack an Active Shooter

What would you do if you were face to face with an active shooter?

How can active shooter training help you?

The worst-case scenario you can prepare for is an active shooter event is taking place, you can’t run or hide, and you must fight to survive.

Active shooter training can help your staff learn what to do in these situations and be able to execute if necessary.

Fighting should be your last resort and should only occur when you come face to face with the shooter. Your goal should be to incapacitate the shooter because even if you disarm them, they may have more weapons.

See what workplace items can be used as weapons.

How to Attack

Turn the tables on the gunman by acting as aggressively as possible. Gunmen don’t expect resistance and will be thrown off. Yell as loud as you can – this can overwhelm the shooter and disrupt their ability to make decisions. If you have the time and people, you can plot a group or surprise attack to throw off the shooter further. This is when multiple people swarm the shooter from all angles, subverting the shooter’s expectations and outnumbering them. Incapacitate the shooter and wait for police to arrive.

Prepare Your Staff for the Worst with Active Shooter Training

TPOP’s active shooter preparedness training teaches your employees how to recognize, manage, and survive an active shooter event. Topics include situational awareness, verbal de-escalation, the Run, Hide, Fight methodology, and more. Online training can be customized to feature an introduction from your leadership, place the training faculty in your location via green screen, and choose the length that fits your time requirements. Your staff can feel safer and more confident at work in less than an hour!

Let’s talk about preparedness for your business today.

How to Fight Back in an Active Shooter Event

Do you know what you’d do during an active shooter event, especially if you must fight back?

The worst-case scenario you can prepare for is an active shooter event taking place, you can’t run or hide, and you must fight to survive. Active shooter training can help your staff learn what to do in these situations and be able to execute if necessary.

When should you attack?

The best time to attack is during a gun jam or reload, however this isn’t always possible. If your life is at stake, fight back. If a gun jam or reload does occur, it’s the perfect time to strike the shooter with decisive blows.

It’s best to find a weapon, but in the workplace, what can you use as a weapon?

Anything that can stab or slash

• Box cutters
• Scissors
• Pens or pencils

Anything that has weight and can be thrown

• Laptop
• Tools
• Can of soda
• Coffee mug
• Stapler
• Chair

See more improvised weapons on our website.

Prepare Your Staff for the Worst with Active Shooter Training

TPOP’s active shooter preparedness training teaches your employees how to recognize, manage, and survive an active shooter event. Topics include situational awareness, verbal de-escalation, the Run, Hide, Fight methodology, and more. Online training can be customized to feature an introduction from your leadership, place the training faculty in your location via green screen, and choose the length that fits your time requirements. Your staff can feel safer and more confident at work in less than an hour!

Let’s talk about preparedness for your business today.

What Warning Signs Were Ignored in the Oxford Shooting?

What can we learn from the Oxford shooting?

What can you do to prevent an active shooter event?

In the case of the Oxford High School shooting, there were multiple warning signs that lead up to the attack and many reports from parents, students, and teachers. Had these signs been properly reported, it’s possible that the event could have been prevented.

The shooter was making concerning posts on social media, had access to a gun, was searching for ammunition in class, leaked his plan on social media the night before, and on the day of drew an image of someone being shot. The school called in a meeting with the shooter’s parents that day, but the shooter was sent back to class and carried out the shooting later in the school day.

After all these warning signs, what went wrong?

Media reports and preliminary aspects of the investigation indicate that school officials failed to follow guidelines, including a thorough investigation. It appears that the student was never questioned about whether he was in possession of a gun. There was probable cause to search his backpack and locker, but reports indicate that was not done. Despite the parents' resistance, the student should not have been returned to class until a comprehensive investigation and a mental health assessment was conducted. According to a new lawsuit, the school didn’t inform the campus safety liaison of the shooter’s behavior and the liaison wasn’t included in the meeting.

Oxford High School is now facing $100M in lawsuits.

Learn more about the events of the Oxford shooting.

Active Assailant Prevention Is Possible When You See the Signs

It’s extremely rare that active assailants “just snap.” The typical assailant will exhibit observable behavioral signs of violence before a violent event takes place. This is called the “pathway to violence.” If Oxford schools had listened to the parents and students who reported the shooter’s behavior on Nov. 16th and taken preventive action, the event may have been prevented.

Active assailant prevention can be achievable by reporting questionable behavior. Don’t leave anything up to chance. TPOP’s active shooter preparedness training can teach you to recognize violent behavioral indicators and respond accordingly. The training also features situational awareness, the Run, Hide, Fight methodology, response to injury, and more.

YOU can prevent events like these from occurring at your workplace. Let’s talk about preparedness training for your company today.

Was the Oxford Shooting Preventable?

What warning signs were acknowledged?

How could this incident have been prevented?

On November 16th, parents reached out to the Oxford Superintendent and Principal to express concerns over the shooter’s behavior. The same day, the Superintendent claimed there was no threat to the high school. The shooter posted a photo of his new gun on social media. After the shooter was searching for ammunition in class, a teacher reported his behavior. The school called the shooter’s mother, but she didn’t answer. On the day of the shooting, November 30th, a teacher reported a drawing the shooter had created that portrayed someone being shot. A meeting with the shooter’s parents was called, but the shooter was sent back to class after.

The shooter’s interest in ammunition, access to a gun, social media posts, and drawings were cause for serious concern. The students, parents, and teachers who reported the shooter’s concerning behaviors all did the right thing.

Learn about the mistakes the school made here.

Active Assailant Prevention Is Possible When You See the Signs

It’s extremely rare that active assailants “just snap.” The typical assailant will exhibit observable behavioral signs of violence before a violent event takes place. This is called the “pathway to violence.” If Oxford school officials had listened to the parents and students who reported the shooter’s behavior on Nov. 16th and taken preventive action, the event may have been prevented.

Active assailant prevention can be achievable by reporting questionable behavior. Don’t leave anything up to chance. TPOP’s active shooter preparedness training can teach you to recognize violent behavioral indicators and respond accordingly. The training also features situational awareness, the Run, Hide, Fight methodology, response to injury, and more.

YOU can prevent events like these from occurring at your workplace. Let’s talk about preparedness training for your company today!