Circle of Trust In-Person Training
Operational Coordination in School-Based Active Threat Incidents: From Response to Recovery
From chaos to coordination — turn response into recovery. This immersive training brings school leaders, law enforcement, and fire/EMS together to master unified command, decisive communication, and post-incident recovery.
What is the Circle of Trust Training?
Why Circle of Trust?
We don’t just give you theory—we put you in scenarios that prepare your team to think, communicate, and respond under pressure.
Together, we build the circle of trust your school community depends on.
Who Should Attend?
- School & District Safety and Security Professionals
- Fire
- EMS
- Hospitals
- Public Health
- Law Enforcement
Course Description
This course provides school leaders, law enforcement officers, and fire/EMS personnel with a unified framework for responding to active threat incidents on school campuses. School leaders play a critical role in preparedness, response and recovery by initiating protective actions such as lockdowns, managing internal communication, supporting reunification efforts, and serving as essential partners within Unified Command. Their ability to coordinate with first responders ensures that accurate information flows quickly, staff and students remain accounted for, and recovery operations can begin smoothly.
Through a blend of lectures, case study, tabletop exercises, and scenario-based training, participants will explore the critical priorities of life safety, tactical coordination, and recovery operations. The course emphasizes interagency collaboration, communication, and decision-making during dynamic and high-stress situations, with special focus on the intersection of school leadership and emergency services.
By the end of this course, participants will understand how to implement joint protocols that save lives, stabilize the scene, and support recovery efforts for students, staff, families, and the broader community. School leaders will leave with a clearer understanding of how their actions before, during, and after an incident directly influence both immediate outcomes and long-term community healing.
Course Units & Measurable Learning Outcomes
Foundations of Active Threat Response
TOPICS:
History of school-based active threat events; evolution of response protocols; priorities of life.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Define the tactical, life, and response priorities during an active threat (Stop the Killing, Stop the Dying, Start the Recovery).
- Differentiate between immediate and imminent threats and explain implications for response.
- Identify the roles and responsibilities of schools, law enforcement, and fire/EMS in unified command.
Incident Command and Unified Operations
TOPICS:
ICS/Unified Command; tactical vs. incident command roles; establishing warm zones, staging, and casualty collection points
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Demonstrate how to establish a Unified Command with law enforcement, fire, and school leadership.
- Apply the “4 C’s” (Communication, Coordination, Cooperation, Commitment) to operational decision-making.
- Develop an incident action plan that includes tactical operations, rescue task forces, and resource staging.
Tactical Priorities and Interagency Coordination
TOPICS:
Law enforcement contact teams, fire/EMS rescue task forces, casualty collection, triage and transport, perimeter security.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Illustrate the step-by-step tactical priorities from safe arrival to threat isolation and containment.
- Explain how Rescue Task Forces (RTFs) operate in warm zones to coordinate with law enforcement for rapid medical intervention.
- Practice tabletop scenarios that simulate multi-agency resource requests, tactical supervisor roles, and casualty movement.
School-Specific Response and Communication
TOPICS:
- Lockdown protocols and protective actions for students and staff
- Staff and student responsibilities during critical incidents
- School leadership integration into the Incident Command System (ICS) and Unified Command
- Coordination between school security, administration, and first responders
- Family reunification procedures and responsibilities
- Media and community communication before, during, and after incidents
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By the end of this unit, participants will be able to:
- Evaluate a school’s lockdown and communication protocols for gaps and strengths, with emphasis on staff readiness and student accountability.
- Explain how school leaders can actively participate in Unified Command and align their response roles within the ICS structure.
- Identify best practices for coordinating communication with parents, media, and the community during and after an incident.
- Evaluate how a reunification plan integrates with law enforcement and fire/EMS operations, prioritizing student safety and family reunification.
- Develop messaging strategies for staff, families, and the public that promote trust, reduce misinformation, and support community resilience.
School Roles in Crisis
This unit bridges the gap between the immediate tactical priorities of an active threat response and the long-term process of recovery and healing. It reinforces the critical phases of “Stop the Killing, Stop the Dying,” introduces the concept of a tactical pause, and provides actionable strategies for starting the recovery and healing process for schools and communities.
TOPICS:
- Tactical priorities: Stop the Killing, Stop the Dying
- The role and purpose of the Tactical Pause
- Transitioning from tactical operations to recovery
- Recovery priorities: Start the Healing
- Strategies for reunification, communication, and survivor support
- Long-term community healing and after-action processes
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By the end of this unit, participants will be able to:
- Explain the sequence and importance of the tactical priorities: Stop the Killing, Stop the Dying.
- Demonstrate how to apply a Tactical Pause to reassess threats, resources, and next steps during a crisis.
- Identify best practices for transitioning from immediate response to recovery and community healing.
- Develop a recovery framework that includes reunification, communication, mental health support, and after-action review.
District Roles in Crisis
Incident One: Anytown High School – Reported Active Shooter
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Analyze how to balance rapid tactical action with measured scene assessment when information is incomplete.
- Apply ICS protocols to coordinate law enforcement, fire, EMS, and school leadership during the first 10 minutes of a perceived active shooter threat.
- Demonstrate decision-making for “false positive” or unclear threat scenarios while maintaining readiness for escalation.
Incident Two: Bigtown High School – Mass Casualty Bus Crash
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Evaluate how the same ICS/Unified Command system applies to both active threats and non-hostile MCIs.
- Demonstrate how law enforcement, fire/EMS, and school officials integrate response under extreme time pressure.
- Develop a reunification and recovery plan that accounts for casualties, survivors, and community impact.
Capstone Exercise: Full-Scale Tabletop
ACTIVITY:
Participants respond to a realistic school-based active threat scenario combining law enforcement, fire/EMS, and school actions.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Apply learned concepts to coordinate interagency operations under time pressure.
- Demonstrate effective communication across disciplines during high-stakes decision-making.
- Evaluate performance against tactical, operational, and recovery benchmarks.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this training, participants will: