ESPADA, ALERRT Partner To Help Civilians Respond To Active Shooters

ESPADA and the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT™) Center at Texas State University have partnered to deliver the Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE™) training program to the civilian sector.

The ALERRT Center at Texas State has trained more than 70,000 law enforcement officers across the nation in active shooter response since 2002, and has been named the national standard in active shooter response training for law enforcement personnel by the FBI.

ESPADA is an international service company providing expert security measures, logistical processes, emergency evacuations and various levels of security training for the business sector.

ALERRT is predominantly grant-funded through federal and state awards and its primary mission is to train first responders to stop the threat. Due to the high demand for private sector training, ALERRT has entered into a partnership with ESPADA.

Their experience and expertise in similar concepts, methodology and training makes them the obvious choice to help bring the critical concepts of CRASE into the civilian sector. ESPADA is the exclusive provider of CRASE for the private sector.

For more than a decade active shooter events have been on the rise. In the past, the primary focus has been teaching law enforcement, fire and EMS how to integrate, with efficiency, and to quickly respond, with prudence, to eliminate threats. The gap between first responders and civilians who are on scene and inside the problem first, is overwhelming. ESPADA, in partnership with ALERRT, is bridging that gap.

ALERRT is training first responders across the nation to deliver this civilian response plan in their communities. ALERRT’s research shows the significance of civilians having the knowledge and preparation to respond to a life-threatening situation in the minutes before officials arrive. This awareness campaign is straightforward, easy to comprehend and simple to implement with schools, businesses, civic and church groups and others.

The program is based on the following concepts: Avoid Deny Defend™. It is a civilian response plan containing three options:

A – Avoid.  This is the preferred option and begins with situational awareness of one’s environment prior to any active, hostile act occurring. It also includes having a plan ahead of time regarding what you would do in the event of an active shooter and knowing escape routes. Avoid Danger.

D – Deny.  If avoidance isn’t possible, find ways to prevent the attacker from having access to you and others around you. (Close and lock doors, barricade doorways with furniture, etc.). Deny Access.

D – Defend.  Take action!  As a last resort you have a right to defend yourself if you believe your life is in imminent danger. Defend Yourself.

Texas State University’s Office of Commercialization and Industrial Relations helped to coordinate this partnership between ALERRT and ESPADA. Their mission is to guide the university’s commercial and industrial interactions to enhance the university’s entrepreneurial platform.

To have CRASE™ taught in a workplace contact ESPADA at training@espadaservices.com.

For interviews with subject matter experts, or more information regarding the ESPADA partnership with ALERRT at Texas State, please contact Diana Hendricks, director of communications, at (512) 245-4779 or (512) 618-3373; or email Hendricks@ALERRT.org.