ALICE, Run Hide Fight, or SRP? Practitioners Discuss Active Threat Response Training

School districts across the country continue to evaluate how they train staff and students to respond to active threats. While programs such as ALICE, Run Hide Fight, SRP (Standard Response Protocol), Move-Secure-Defend, and CRASE/ALERRT may use different terminology, practitioners often find themselves asking the same question: How can schools best prepare staff and students to make decisions during an emergency?

During a recent discussion among NCSSD members, participants compared approaches, shared implementation experiences, and discussed what matters most when preparing staff and students for critical incidents.

Active Threat Training Matters More Than the Acronym

One of the strongest themes throughout the discussion was that preparedness depends less on the specific program being used and more on the quality and frequency of training.

Practitioners representing a variety of models emphasized the importance of helping staff understand their options, practice decision-making, and build confidence through regular training. Several participants noted that many active threat response programs ultimately teach similar concepts using different terminology.

Decision-Making Remains Central to Active Threat Response

Participants also shared recommendations for how to communicate options-based response programs to staff and students.

Several members emphasized the importance of simplicity and recall when evaluating active threat response programs. One practitioner noted that acronyms can be difficult for staff to remember under stress, while another shared that their district teaches "Run OR Hide OR Fight" rather than "Run Hide Fight" to reinforce that the framework is intended to support decision-making rather than a sequential series of steps.

Regardless of the terminology being used, many districts view active threat response training as a process of helping people evaluate situations, consider available options, and make informed decisions under stress.

One practitioner summarized the challenge this way:

"What people need is training to 'what if' their situation. You develop a rolodex of war-gamed responses and pick the one that is closest to the situation you are in and act. Teachers, on the other hand, aren't cops and don't intuitively think like that as they go about their day. And, in a perfect world, they wouldn't have to."

How Schools Interpret Response Options

Another practitioner noted that Run Hide Fight can create confusion when a school has already been placed in lockdown. If students and staff are already inside a secure classroom with a locked door, choosing to evacuate may introduce additional risks by moving occupants into an unsecured environment where the location of the threat is unknown. That concern contributed to the district's decision to transition to a different options-based model.

Different Programs, Similar Principles

While participants represented a variety of active threat response programs, many of the lessons shared centered on training, decision-making, and helping staff understand their options during an emergency.

The full discussion included additional implementation considerations, training resources, and lessons learned from districts using a variety of options-based response programs.

To participate in future conversations and connect with other school safety practitioners, learn more about joining the National Council of School Safety Directors.