Active Shooter Emergency Plan: Protect Your Family

Creating an active shooter survival plan is one of the most actionable steps any household, school, or workplace can take. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and FEMA, most active shooter incidents last 2–15 minutes before police arrive: meaning the decisions made in the first moments are the ones that determine outcomes. The federally-recommended Run-Hide-Fight framework provides a clear, practical decision tree that has been validated by law enforcement trainers, the FBI, and emergency management professionals across the country.

This guide covers the complete DHS/FEMA active shooter response framework, how to create a household emergency plan, workplace preparation, and school-age children guidance. Note: this page does not include commercial product links, as products are not the primary focus of an active shooter response plan.

The Run, Hide, Fight Framework (DHS)

The Department of Homeland Security’s official active shooter guidance is built around three sequential options, applied in order of preference:

1. RUN: Evacuate If Possible

Running is always the preferred option if there is a safe escape route. The DHS guidance states:

• Have an escape route and plan in mind before you need one
• Leave your belongings behind
• Evacuate regardless of whether others will follow
• Help others escape if possible but don’t let them impede your escape
• Do not attempt to move the wounded: note their location and report to police
• Prevent others from entering an area where the active shooter may be
• Call 911 as soon as it is safe to do so
• Keep your hands visible when encountering police: they are looking for threats and cannot immediately know your role

2. HIDE: If Evacuation Is Not Possible

If you can’t evacuate safely, find a place to hide that:

• Is out of the shooter’s view
• Provides protection if shots are fired in your direction (thick walls, concrete, metal filing cabinets)
• Does not trap you or restrict your options

Actions to take while hiding:

• Lock the door if possible; barricade with heavy furniture
• Silence your phone: turn off vibration too
• Turn off lights
• Get low and behind cover (between the shooter and you)
• Do not open the door for anyone claiming to be police until law enforcement has secured the area
• If you can safely alert police, call 911 and leave the line open even if you can’t speak: the dispatcher will be able to hear

3. FIGHT: Last Resort Only

Fighting is the last resort: only when your life is in imminent danger and you have no other option. The DHS guidance:

• Act with physical aggression: do not negotiate or attempt to reason
• Improvise weapons: fire extinguishers, chairs, laptops, scissors
• Commit to your actions: an uncertain defence is ineffective
• Yell to distract and disorient the shooter

Creating Your Household Active Shooter Plan

Most active shooter incidents don’t occur in homes: but household preparation creates the mental frameworks that help in any scenario:

Home Escape Routes

• Know at least two exit routes from every room (not just front door)
• Ensure all family members can open window escape routes (remove old paint seal, ensure screens are removable)
• Pre-plan a meeting point outside your home (not in front: go to neighbour’s or end of block)

Family Communication Plan

• Designate a family meeting place near home and one further away (school, community centre)
• Designate an out-of-area contact person for everyone to check in with
• Ensure all family members have the out-of-area contact’s number memorised or written on a physical card
• Discuss “what would you do if…” scenarios with all household members: including children

Teaching Children

• Age-appropriate conversations: young children need simple “run fast, hide quietly, be brave” language
• Older children (8+) can understand the full Run-Hide-Fight framework
• Role-play scenarios at home: practice finding hiding spots and discussing decision points
• Know your children’s school’s lockdown procedure and practice points

Workplace Active Shooter Preparedness

DHS provides free training and guidance for workplace preparedness. Key employer/employee actions:

For Employees

• Know your building’s layout: all exits, including emergency exits and stairwells
• Know your company’s emergency response plan
• Identify hiding places in your work area (rooms with solid doors that lock, heavy furniture)
• Know how to call for help (company emergency line, 911 address for your building)

For Employers/HR

• Conduct an active shooter drill at least annually (most states require this for schools; best practice for all workplaces)
• Ensure all staff have completed DHS IS-907 Active Shooter training (free online)
• Install locks on all conference rooms and individual offices
• Establish a building-wide emergency alert system (mass SMS, PA system, or dedicated app)
• Develop relationships with local law enforcement: many police departments offer free workplace active shooter preparedness walkthroughs

Schools & Children

FEMA’s “Guide for Developing High-Quality School Emergency Operations Plans” (2013, updated 2020) provides the federal framework for school active shooter response:

• ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate): The most widely adopted school response protocol, replacing passive lockdown-only approaches
• Standard Response Protocol (SRP): Similar framework used in many school districts
• Encourage children to report concerning statements by peers: the FBI notes that most active shooters communicated intent before acting
• Know your school’s specific lockdown and reunification procedures
• Reunification procedures: many schools now require ID verification before releasing children; keep identification accessible

Public Spaces: Situational Awareness

Developing situational awareness habits for public spaces dramatically improves response capability:

• Locate exits immediately on entering any new space: theatre, restaurant, mall; identify at least two exits
• Note potential cover positions: structural columns, concrete planters, thick furniture provide cover; thin partitions and upholstery don’t
• Differentiate cover from concealment: cover stops bullets; concealment only hides you. A wooden door is concealment, not cover.
• Stay near exits when possible: this is not paranoia; it’s practical spatial awareness
• Note potentially concerning behaviours and trust your instincts: the FBI’s “See Something, Say Something” applies

What to Do When Police Arrive

This section is critical: misidentification can be dangerous:

• Remain calm and follow instructions
• Put down anything in your hands: bags, phones, objects
• Raise hands and spread fingers: keep them visible at all times
• Avoid pointing at officers or making sudden movements
• Don’t scream or yell
• Follow police out of the area: evacuation happens in phases
• The first police officers on scene will not stop to help injured victims: they are focused on stopping the threat. Rescue and medical support come in subsequent waves. If you are safe, do not re-enter the area.

Training Resources

All of the following are free from federal government sources:

• DHS “Active Shooter: How to Respond”: free PDF and video at dhs.gov/active-shooter-preparedness
• FEMA IS-907 “Active Shooter: What You Can Do”: free online course at training.fema.gov; ~45 minutes; certificate of completion
• Stop the Bleed: free bleeding control training at stopthebleed.org; critical complement to active shooter training; learn to apply tourniquet and pack a wound
• FBI “Active Shooter Resources”: statistics, case studies, and prevention resources at fbi.gov
• ALICE Training Institute: alicetraining.com; school and workplace training programs