When seconds matter and chaos erupts, your brain needs a clear decision framework. The Run, Hide, Fight strategy isn’t just another safety protocol—it’s a proven survival methodology that’s saved countless lives during active threat situations. Understanding these three stages could be the difference between life and death.
This framework originated from law enforcement research into survivor accounts and has become the standard response protocol taught by safety professionals worldwide. Whether you’re in an office building, shopping mall, or educational facility, knowing when and how to implement each stage gives you a critical advantage when faced with an active shooter.
Many people freeze when danger strikes because they haven’t mentally rehearsed their options. The beauty of Run, Hide, Fight is its simplicity—three clear choices presented in priority order. Let’s break down exactly what each stage means, when to use it, and how to execute it effectively. For those seeking structured preparation, Active Shooter Survival Training in Collierville TN provides comprehensive instruction in these life-saving techniques.
Stage One: Run—Your Primary Survival Option
Running should always be your first choice if you can do so safely. Creating distance between yourself and the threat dramatically increases your survival odds. When gunfire erupts, your instinct might tell you to drop to the ground, but movement toward safety is almost always the better choice.
Here’s what effective running looks like: Leave your belongings behind. Your phone, purse, laptop—none of it matters. Every second counts, and carrying items slows you down and occupies your hands. Move quickly toward the nearest safe exit, using any available cover as you go.
Help others escape if possible, but don’t let someone else’s hesitation trap you. Encourage others to follow, but keep moving. Once you’ve reached safety, call 911 immediately. According to research on active shooter incidents, rapid notification to law enforcement significantly reduces casualty rates.
When Running Is the Right Choice
Run when you have a clear path to an exit and the shooter isn’t between you and safety. Trust your judgment—if you can hear gunfire but it sounds distant, moving toward the opposite direction gives you precious time. Always have an escape route and alternate route in mind, even during normal daily activities.
Don’t stop running until you’re far from the building and behind solid cover. Once outside, keep going until you reach a safe distance—at least two blocks away if possible. Your adrenaline will be pumping, but resist the urge to stop and look back.
Stage Two: Hide—When Escape Isn’t Possible
If you can’t safely reach an exit, hiding becomes your next best option. The goal isn’t just concealment—it’s creating a barrier between you and the threat while remaining as invisible as possible. Effective hiding requires quick thinking and an understanding of what makes a location defensible.
Find a room with a lockable door. Office spaces, storage rooms, and bathrooms can work if they have solid doors and locks. Once inside, lock or barricade the door immediately. Use anything heavy—desks, filing cabinets, chairs—to create obstacles that slow entry.
Turn off all lights and silence your phone completely. Not vibrate—completely off. The glow from a screen or a single vibration could give away your position. Move away from the door and windows, getting behind any solid objects that might stop bullets. Concrete walls, thick furniture, and metal filing cabinets offer the best protection.
Creating an Effective Hiding Space
The best hiding spots are out of the shooter’s view, lockable, and provide cover—not just concealment. Cover stops bullets; concealment just hides you visually. A wooden door provides concealment. A concrete wall provides cover. Know the difference.
Spread out if you’re with a group. Don’t cluster everyone in one corner. If the shooter gains entry, scattered positioning makes it harder to target multiple people quickly. Stay absolutely silent. Control your breathing. Turn off any device that might make noise, including smartwatches and tablets.
Remain in your hiding place until you receive an all-clear from law enforcement. Don’t emerge because the shooting seems to have stopped. Many incidents involve multiple shooters or a single shooter moving between locations. Wait for confirmed police communication.
Stage Three: Fight—The Last Resort Option
Fighting back is your last resort when running and hiding aren’t possible. This isn’t about being a hero—it’s about survival when you’re out of options. If the shooter has found your location and is attempting entry, your life depends on aggressive action.
Commit fully if you choose to fight. Halfhearted attempts won’t work. Your goal is to disrupt the shooter’s ability to harm you, buying time for escape or law enforcement arrival. Use any object as a weapon—fire extinguishers, scissors, laptops, chairs, even hot coffee.
Target vulnerable areas: eyes, throat, groin. Multiple people should attack simultaneously from different angles if possible. The element of surprise is your greatest advantage. Don’t announce your presence—strike hard and immediately when the opportunity presents itself.
Improvised Weapons and Tactics
Fire extinguishers serve double duty—spray it to blind and disorient, then use the heavy canister as a bludgeon. Scissors, pens, and keys can target soft tissue areas. A desk chair swung hard can knock someone off balance. Your belt can be used to wrap and control.
If you’re in a group, coordinate your response. Someone should throw objects to distract while others attack physically. Swarm tactics work—multiple people attacking from different directions overwhelms even an armed attacker. Don’t stop your attack until the threat is completely neutralized.
Once you’ve disabled the shooter, don’t pick up their weapon. Police responding to the scene will view anyone holding a gun as a potential threat. Kick the weapon away, maintain control of the shooter if possible, and keep your hands visible when law enforcement arrives.
Making Split-Second Decisions Under Pressure
The Run, Hide, Fight framework seems straightforward, but applying it during an actual emergency requires mental preparation. Your brain will flood with adrenaline, potentially causing tunnel vision and auditory exclusion. Knowing these physiological responses helps you work through them.
Decision-making happens in seconds. If your first option doesn’t work, immediately shift to the next. Tried running but the exit is blocked? Hide. Hiding spot discovered? Fight. The sequence isn’t rigid—it’s adaptive based on your specific situation.
Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong about a hiding spot, find another. If you sense the shooter is moving away, running might become viable again. Situational awareness—constantly updating your understanding of the threat’s location—drives smart decisions.
Pre-Planning Your Response
Mental rehearsal dramatically improves your response time. When you enter any building, identify exits. Count doors between you and escape routes. Notice which rooms have locks. These small observations create a mental map you can access instantly during crisis.
Discuss emergency plans with coworkers and family. Where would you meet if separated? What’s your communication plan if cell networks are overloaded? These conversations feel uncomfortable but save lives. For comprehensive preparation, exploring additional safety resources helps build well-rounded emergency knowledge.
Common Mistakes That Cost Lives
Freezing is the most dangerous response. When you hear gunfire, your body might lock up. This is a normal physiological response, but you must push through it. Action—even imperfect action—beats paralysis every time.
Don’t waste time calling loved ones before calling 911. Your first call should always be to emergency services. Texts to family can happen after you’ve reported the emergency. Every second matters in getting help on scene.
Never pull fire alarms during an active shooter event. Fire alarms make people evacuate into hallways—exactly where they’re most vulnerable. Alert people verbally or via text, but don’t create mass movement toward danger.
Don’t assume the first shots are fireworks, construction noise, or something harmless. If it might be gunfire, treat it as gunfire. False alarms are far better than fatal hesitation. The sound of gunfire indoors is unmistakable—sharp, rapid, and loud.
Special Considerations for Different Situations
Each environment presents unique challenges. In multi-story buildings, elevators become death traps—they can be recalled to any floor or stop between floors. Always use stairs when evacuating. If you’re above the ground floor and can’t reach stairs, barricading in a room might be safer than descending through unknown territory.
Open spaces like parking lots or outdoor venues require different tactics. Cover is limited, so running to the nearest building or solid structure becomes critical. Use parked cars for concealment while moving, but remember that car bodies don’t stop bullets—only the engine block provides real cover.
If you’re responsible for others—children, elderly individuals, people with disabilities—your decisions become more complex. You may need to modify tactics based on mobility limitations. Carrying a child while running is justified. Helping someone who moves slowly hide quickly might save their life.
After the Threat Ends
When law enforcement arrives, keep your hands visible at all times. Follow every command immediately, even if it seems rough or confusing. Officers responding to active shooter calls are trained to neutralize threats first and sort out identities later. Don’t reach for anything or make sudden movements.
You’ll likely experience shock, even if you’re physically unharmed. Shaking, confusion, and emotional numbness are normal responses to trauma. Accept medical evaluation even if you feel fine—adrenaline masks injuries and shock distorts perception.
Document what you remember as soon as possible. Your testimony might help investigators piece together the event timeline. Write down what you saw, heard, and did. Details fade quickly, and your account could be crucial for understanding what happened.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I try to rescue injured people during an active shooter event?
Only attempt rescue if you can do so without exposing yourself to direct threat. Moving an injured person while the shooter is still active puts both of you at greater risk. Unless you have medical training and the situation is secure, prioritize getting yourself to safety and notifying emergency responders of the injured person’s location.
What if I’m in a room with only one door and no lock?
Barricade the door with heavy furniture, positioning items at angles that make the door difficult to open. Place your body weight against the barricade if possible. If the room has no viable hiding spots, position yourself to ambush anyone entering—behind the door swing or in a corner with improvised weapons ready.
How do I know when it’s really safe to come out of hiding?
Wait for verified law enforcement to give you an all-clear. This means an actual uniformed officer at your door or a PA announcement from police. Don’t emerge because shooting has stopped—some incidents involve multiple shooters or single shooters who pause to reload or move locations.
Can playing dead be an effective strategy?
Playing dead is generally not recommended as a primary strategy. Shooters often return to victims to ensure they’re incapacitated. However, if you’re in a pile of casualties and movement would draw attention, remaining motionless might be your only option until the shooter leaves the area.
Should I keep my phone on silent or powered off when hiding?
Power it completely off if possible. Silent mode still allows vibrations, screen illumination, and some system sounds that could reveal your location. If you’ve already called 911 and provided your location, turning the phone completely off eliminates any possibility of it giving you away during those critical hiding moments.
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