What are the 5 phases of an Active Shooter?

What are the 5 phases of an Active Shooter?

• A. Fantasy, Planning, Preparation, Approach, Implementation
• B. Planning, Preparation, Execution, Approach, Termination
• C. Suspect, Assessment, Response, Containment, Recovery
• D. Initiation, Design, Deployment, Engagement, Aftermath

Answer: (A)

The five phases describe how an active shooter incident typically unfolds and guide how you coordinate a safe, effective response. First, suspect means recognizing there may be a shooter and gathering essential details about what’s happening, where, and who is involved, while keeping yourself safe. Second, assessment is evaluating the information you have, judging the immediacy of the threat, and deciding what advisories to give to occupants (such as shelter-in-place or evacuation if safe) and when to escalate to responders. Third, response is putting the plan into action: relaying accurate updates to law enforcement and other responders, instructing people on safety procedures, and facilitating rapid movement to stop the shooter and protect lives. Fourth, containment focuses on limiting the shooter’s ability to harm others by securing access points, coordinating with responders on scene, and ensuring civilians remain out of danger as the situation evolves. Fifth, recovery moves toward healing and restoration: providing medical assistance to victims, accounting for everyone, preserving evidence for the investigation, debriefing, and returning operations to normal while offering support to those affected. This sequence is commonly taught because it frames the incident from threat recognition through resolution and post-incident work, helping dispatchers stay focused on safety, information flow, and coordination. Other option phrases mix terms that don’t align with standard active shooter response stages, making this five-phase model the clearest fit.

The five phases describe how an active shooter incident typically unfolds and guide how you coordinate a safe, effective response. First, suspect means recognizing there may be a shooter and gathering essential details about what’s happening, where, and who is involved, while keeping yourself safe. Second, assessment is evaluating the information you have, judging the immediacy of the threat, and deciding what advisories to give to occupants (such as shelter-in-place or evacuation if safe) and when to escalate to responders. Third, response is putting the plan into action: relaying accurate updates to law enforcement and other responders, instructing people on safety procedures, and facilitating rapid movement to stop the shooter and protect lives. Fourth, containment focuses on limiting the shooter’s ability to harm others by securing access points, coordinating with responders on scene, and ensuring civilians remain out of danger as the situation evolves. Fifth, recovery moves toward healing and restoration: providing medical assistance to victims, accounting for everyone, preserving evidence for the investigation, debriefing, and returning operations to normal while offering support to those affected.

This sequence is commonly taught because it frames the incident from threat recognition through resolution and post-incident work, helping dispatchers stay focused on safety, information flow, and coordination. Other option phrases mix terms that don’t align with standard active shooter response stages, making this five-phase model the clearest fit.