When danger strikes, your instincts can either save your life or put you in greater harm. The difference often comes down to knowing what NOT to do. Many people operate on outdated assumptions or freeze when they need to act, and these mistakes have tragic consequences.
Understanding common errors made during crisis situations helps you develop better response strategies. Professional Active Shooter Survival Training Services in Collierville TN focus on correcting these dangerous misconceptions and building effective survival instincts through realistic preparation.
Here’s what you need to know about the five most critical mistakes people make when facing an active threat—and exactly how to avoid them.
Mistake #1: Waiting for Official Instructions Before Taking Action
The most dangerous assumption is that someone else will tell you what to do. When seconds matter, waiting for announcements, looking for authority figures, or expecting a fire alarm can cost precious time.
This phenomenon, called normalcy bias, makes people underestimate threats and assume everything will be fine. Your brain tries to rationalize unusual sounds or situations rather than accepting the reality of danger.
What to Do Instead
Trust your instincts immediately. If something feels wrong—loud bangs, screaming, people running—assume it’s real and act without hesitation. The time you save by moving first instead of confirming the threat could mean the difference between reaching safety or being trapped.
Develop a personal action plan right now. Wherever you are regularly—workplace, school, shopping areas—identify at least two exit routes and a hiding location. When you enter any building, take thirty seconds to note emergency exits and safe spaces.
Mistake #2: Following the Crowd Without Thinking
During emergencies, people instinctively follow others, assuming the group knows best. This herd mentality often leads everyone toward the main entrance—which may be exactly where the threat is located.
Crowded exits create bottlenecks that trap people. Worse, the primary entrance is frequently the entry point for danger, making it the last place you want to be during an active event.
What to Do Instead
Think independently and move decisively. Look for alternative exits—back doors, emergency exits, windows, or even areas you can break through. According to the documented patterns of active threat situations, most incidents last only minutes, so unconventional escape routes can save lives.
If the main crowd is heading one direction, assess whether another route might be safer. Sometimes the less obvious path is the better choice. Windows on ground floors become exits. Kitchen areas often have back doors. Loading docks provide escape routes.
Mistake #3: Making Noise or Advertising Your Location While Hiding
If you can’t evacuate safely, hiding becomes your best option. But many people undermine this strategy by using their phones with the ringer on, whispering loudly to others, or failing to secure the door properly.
Your phone’s light, ringtone, or vibration can reveal your position. Similarly, an unlocked door or visible shadows under doorways can betray your hiding spot.
What to Do Instead
Silence everything immediately. Put your phone on silent mode—not vibrate. Turn off all lights. Lock and barricade the door with furniture. If there’s no lock, wedge chairs under handles or use belts to secure doors.
Position yourself out of the doorway’s line of sight, ideally behind solid objects that could stop projectiles. Stay absolutely quiet. Even breathing should be controlled and silent. If you must communicate with others in the room, use hand signals or text messages with screen brightness at minimum.
For additional resources on emergency preparedness, visit more safety information that can supplement your knowledge.
Mistake #4: Trying to Negotiate or Reason With the Threat
Some people believe they can talk down an active shooter or convince them to stop. This comes from a place of wanting to de-escalate, but these situations are fundamentally different from typical conflicts.
Active threats are not looking for conversation. Attempting to negotiate puts you in direct contact with danger and wastes critical seconds when you should be escaping or hiding.
What to Do Instead
Run, hide, or fight—in that order. Your priority is creating distance between yourself and the threat. If evacuation isn’t possible, hide effectively. Only engage the threat as an absolute last resort when your life is in imminent danger and no other options exist.
If you must fight, commit fully. Use any available objects as weapons—fire extinguishers, chairs, laptops, scissors. Act with complete aggression and determination. Multiple people should work together to overwhelm the threat if possible.
Mistake #5: Never Having Discussed or Practiced a Response Plan
The biggest mistake happens before any incident—failing to prepare. Most people have never thought through what they’d do during an active shooter event, where they’d go, or how they’d respond.
Without preparation, your brain defaults to panic. You waste precious seconds trying to figure out what to do instead of executing a plan you’ve already developed and practiced.
What to Do Instead
Invest time in training now. Quality preparation programs teach you to recognize warning signs, make rapid decisions under stress, and physically practice survival movements.
Discuss plans with family, coworkers, and friends. Everyone in your household should know what to do if separated during an emergency. Establish meeting points and communication protocols. Practice drills at least twice a year to keep skills fresh.
Mental rehearsal matters too. Visualize yourself responding effectively in different scenarios. This mental practice creates neural pathways that help you act decisively when real danger occurs.
The Role of Professional Training in Avoiding These Mistakes
Understanding these mistakes intellectually is different from knowing how to respond under extreme stress. Your body’s natural fear response—increased heart rate, tunnel vision, auditory exclusion—can override logical thinking.
Professional training programs address this by creating controlled stress environments that condition your body and mind to respond effectively. You learn to recognize the physical signs of danger, make split-second decisions, and execute survival strategies automatically.
Quality training goes beyond basic “run, hide, fight” concepts. It includes situational awareness development, threat recognition, communication during crisis, and post-incident procedures. You practice until correct responses become instinctive rather than requiring conscious thought.
Building a Culture of Preparedness
Individual preparation is important, but organizational readiness creates layers of protection. Workplaces and schools that prioritize active shooter preparedness see better outcomes because everyone understands their role.
This means regular drills that don’t traumatize participants but do create muscle memory. It includes clear communication systems for alerting people to danger. It involves designated safety coordinators who can guide others during emergencies.
Creating this culture starts with leadership commitment. When organizations dedicate resources to comprehensive training, they send the message that safety matters. Employees and students feel more confident knowing there’s a plan and everyone knows how to execute it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly should I react when I suspect an active shooter situation?
React immediately within 2-3 seconds. Don’t wait to confirm the threat or look for others to move first. Your instant response creates the time advantage needed to reach safety. Trust your instincts and move decisively the moment something seems wrong.
Should I help others evacuate or focus on my own escape?
Secure your own safety first, then assist others if possible without putting yourself at risk. You can’t help anyone if you’re incapacitated. Once you’re moving toward safety, guide others in your immediate vicinity, but don’t return to danger zones to find people.
What if I freeze during an actual event despite training?
Freezing is a normal physiological response to extreme fear. Training helps reduce this reaction by conditioning your body through repeated exposure to controlled stress. If you freeze, focus on one simple action—move your feet, grab a door handle, or take one deep breath. That single action often breaks the freeze response.
How often should individuals and organizations conduct active shooter drills?
Organizations should conduct drills at least twice annually to maintain readiness. Individuals should mentally rehearse scenarios monthly and physically practice responses quarterly. Regular practice keeps skills sharp and reduces panic during actual emergencies.
Are there legal implications if I fight back against an active shooter?
Using force to defend yourself or others during an active threat is legally justified as self-defense in virtually all circumstances. Your right to protect life supersedes other considerations when facing imminent danger. Focus on survival first—legal protections exist for defensive actions during legitimate threats.
The mistakes outlined here aren’t signs of weakness—they’re natural human responses to extraordinary circumstances. What separates survivors from victims is often just knowledge and preparation. By understanding these common errors and training yourself to respond effectively, you dramatically increase your chances of surviving an active shooter situation. Take preparedness seriously, invest in quality training, and practice regularly. Your life may depend on the decisions you make today.
