Behavioral Skills Training for Active Shooter Scenarios Among Human Service Staff

Noto and colleagues trained three RBTs to respond to an active shooter. They used behavioral skills training: explain, model, rehearse, and give feedback.

The team ran the training in a clinic. They measured run-hide-fight steps with a checklist. A multiple-baseline design showed when each RBT reached mastery.

All three RBTs hit 100% correct steps after one or two practice rounds. Skills held up one month later and transferred to new hallway and office layouts.

No one froze or skipped steps during surprise drills. The RBTs also taught the steps to new coworkers with the same high scores.

Erath et al. (2021) and Belisle et al. (2016) used the same BST recipe to teach staff PEAK lessons. They also saw fast mastery and generalization, showing the method works across very different skills.

Clay et al. (2021) and Davis et al. (2023) moved BST into Zoom and VR. Their trainees mastered FCT and dance coaching just as quickly, proving the format can change but the core still works.

Keene et al. (2026) asked which BST parts matter most. They found modeling alone can work for simple data collection, but Noto kept the full package. The studies do not clash—safety skills are complex, so the extra rehearsal and feedback are worth the time.

You can add a 30-minute run-hide-fight module to your next staff meeting. Use the same BST script: show a short video, walk through the checklist, have each staff rehearse in two rooms, and give praise plus corrections. One session gives you high, lasting fidelity without pricey consultants.