Emergency Response Training FAQs

The current program name is AVIRT: Active Violence Immediate Response Training. HSI announced that its former AVERT program—Active Violence Emergency Response Training—would become AVIRT effective August 27, 2025. As verified July 19, 2026, Arrow’s emergency-response page heading uses AVIRT and the correct expansion, but two later body passages still say “Active Violence Emergency Response Training.” Those residual references are outdated and should be corrected.

Run, Hide, Fight is a concise public-safety framework for choosing among evacuation, concealment, and last-resort defensive action during an active-shooter incident. Stop the Bleed focuses on recognizing life-threatening bleeding and using direct pressure, wound packing, and a tourniquet. Active-violence training is broader when it combines awareness, response decision-making, realistic practice, communication, and bleeding control within an organization’s emergency plan.

Active-violence response training can benefit employees, supervisors, security staff, educators, healthcare teams, faith-community leaders, venue personnel, retailers, and other people who may need to act before public responders arrive. HSI describes AVIRT as suitable across organizations and industries, and CISA provides preparedness resources for businesses, schools, houses of worship, government, and communities.

HSI’s current AVIRT course overview lists a course length of approximately two to three hours and a blended format with an instructor-led skills session. Arrow’s public page does not publish a current duration, so Arrow should confirm whether its delivery follows that standard, includes online preparation, or adds site-specific exercises that change the schedule.

Employees should review emergency procedures when first assigned, whenever their duties or the plan change, and often enough to maintain reliable performance. OSHA’s emergency-action-plan standard specifically requires review when a plan is developed, when employee responsibilities change, and when the plan changes. The appropriate exercise schedule also depends on hazards, turnover, prior performance, and regulatory or insurer requirements.

Arrow’s emergency-response page says AVIRT can be tailored to an organization’s needs, and HSI offers on-site training for organizations. That supports private classes for workplaces, schools, and churches, subject to Arrow’s current instructor availability, travel area, facility requirements, class size, participant age, and scheduling.

Arrow’s current AVIRT page states that the course uses live simulation or realistic scenario training. It does not publicly specify whether replica weapons, inert training devices, simulated sounds, role players, or other props are used. Arrow should disclose the exact methods before participants register and document how any training weapons are distinguished and controlled. Do not state that no live ammunition or functional firearms are present until Arrow’s written safety protocol verifies that rule.

Yes. Arrow’s AVIRT page states that its course includes emergency bleeding-control tactics, and HSI describes AVIRT as combining active-violence response with techniques to control life-threatening bleeding. The current AVIRT overview includes bleeding-control practice as a core part of the program.

OSHA does not have a standard that universally requires every employer to provide a course specifically called “active-shooter training.” OSHA has stated that it does not have a standard specifically addressing workplace violence. That does not mean employers can ignore foreseeable hazards or emergency planning.

HSI’s current AVIRT course overview lists a student-to-instructor ratio of 15:1 and a student-to-equipment ratio of 1:1. That means a private group larger than 15 may require additional authorized instructors, separate sections, or another approved arrangement; it does not necessarily mean the organization can train only 15 people total.

Arrow does not publish a current standard price for private emergency-response group training on its main training page. The accurate answer is to request a written quote. Cost may depend on participant count, number of instructors, course format, online modules, location and travel, facility or equipment needs, customization, multiple sessions, certificates, bleeding-control materials, and cancellation terms.