Survey of Educators' Preparedness to Respond to Active Shooter Incidents

To examine the preparedness of medical imaging and radiation therapy educators to handle and respond to an active shooter event and their confidence to control their classrooms and protect their students.

Using a cross-sectional research design and a mixed-methods approach, the authors surveyed 366 educators from radiography, radiation therapy, magnetic resonance, and medical dosimetry programs accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology, documenting their preparedness to respond and their confidence to control their classrooms and protect their students during an active shooter event.

Most (166, 45.4%) participants in this study felt moderately prepared to respond to an active shooter event in their classroom. In addition, most participants felt moderately confident in their abilities to control their classrooms (159, 43.4%) and protect their students (154, 42.1%) during an active shooter incident. Most (135, 36.9%) participants agreed that the possibility of an active shooter event is taken seriously at their institution.

Pearson chi-square calculations revealed significant associations between educators' level of preparedness to respond appropriately to an active shooter event and having an institutional active shooter policy, offering active shooter training, and conducting active shooter drills. An analysis of the open-ended survey responses revealed 3 themes: lack of preparedness, lack of policy, and proactive techniques.

Although most participants in this study felt moderately prepared to respond to an active shooter event, areas for improvement include implementing a policy and training program for addressing an active shooter situation, mandating active shooter response training for all employees and students, conducting active shooter drills routinely, and focusing the training program on response and preventive measures.