Hazard · Seconds
Active attacks and explosions
Know the exits before you need them. Run first. Hide if you can't. Fight only as a last resort.
Federal steps in this chapter do not change by state. Local orders for Arizona come from Arizona Department of Emergency Management.
6 min read · Updated October 2026
Before
Ready.gov: wherever you go, including work, school, and events, identify exits and places to hide. Learn first aid so you can help the wounded before help arrives.
DHS "If You See Something, Say Something" asks you to report suspicious activity to local law enforcement.
CISA notes that active-shooter incidents often end within 10 to 15 minutes. CISA offers free training, including the IS-907 course.
During
From Ready.gov:
- Run to safety. Getting away from the attacker is the top priority.
- Cover and hide if you can't get away. Stay out of view and put a solid barrier between you and the threat if possible.
- Defend, disrupt, fight only as a last resort, when you can't run or hide.
- Help the wounded. Take care of yourself first, then help if you can. Call 911 when it's safe.
Explosions and collapse
Ready.gov:
- If you're trapped, use a flashlight or whistle, or tap on pipes, to signal rescuers.
- Shout only as a last resort, so you don't inhale dust.
Bleeding
Stop the Bleed teaches three actions: direct pressure, wound packing, and a tourniquet.
MedlinePlus says to place a tourniquet 2–3 inches above the wound and note the time it was applied.
Checklist
Checks stay in this browser.
Sources
Public pages this chapter leans on. They win if anything here is out of date.
- Ready.gov — Attacks in public places
Run, cover and hide, defend, help the wounded
- Ready.gov — Explosions
Signaling when trapped
- CISA — Active shooter preparedness
Training, 10–15 minutes
- DHS — If You See Something, Say Something
Reporting
- Stop the Bleed
Pressure, packing, tourniquet
- MedlinePlus — Bleeding
Tourniquet placement