FEMA IS-907 Test Questions and Answers – Active Shooter: What can you do?

The FEMA IS-907 course was introduced in 2015 to help people prepare for and respond to active shooter situations. It guides individuals – including managers and employees – on identifying potential workplace violence indicators, responding to an active shooter situation, and handling the aftermath of an active shooter incident.

The course is suitable for everyone, with no specific prerequisites. It has recently been updated, and retaking the exam is voluntary. However, we recommend you go through the course material again. The course can be completed in 1 hour and offers 0.1 CEUs. [1]

The Complete List of Answers for the FEMA IS-907 Test:

1. When law enforcement officers arrive at an active shooter incident, their priority is to:

Possible Answers:

  1. Remove wounded persons from the scene of the incident
  2. Running into the hallway immediately so you can escape
  3. Taking note of the nearest exits in any facility
  4. Counting the Number of potential victims at the location

The Correct Answer:

A. When law enforcement officers arrive at an active shooter incident, their priority is removing wounded persons from the scene.

2. When evacuating the premises during an active shooter incident, your responsibilities to others include:

Possible Answers:

  1. Running into the hallway immediately so you can escape.
  2. Taking note of the nearest exits in any facility.
  3. Counting the Number of potential victims at the location.
  4. Attempting to move any wounded people to safety.

The Correct Answer:

D. When evacuating the premises during an active shooter incident, your responsibilities to others include Attempting to move any wounded people to safety.

3. TRUE OR FALSE: When creating an Emergency Action Plan, stakeholders who can provide valuable input include your human resources department, your training department (if one exists), facility owners/operators, loss prevention specialists, your property manager, and local law enforcement and emergency responders.

Possible Answers:

  1. TRUE
  2. FALSE

The Correct Answers:

True: When creating an Emergency Action Plan, stakeholders who can provide valuable input include your human resources department, your training department (if one exists), facility owners/operators, loss prevention specialists, your property manager, and local law enforcement and emergency responders.

4. If you can safely notify the 911 dispatcher or law enforcement officials about an active shooter incident while it is happening, when possible, provide the following information initially:

Possible Answers:

  1. Location of the incident
  2. Number of potential victims at the location
  3. Number of shooters, if more than one
  4. Physical description of the shooter(s)

The Correct Answers:

B. If you can safely notify the 911 dispatcher or law enforcement officials about an active shooter incident while it is happening, when possible, provide the Number of potential victims at the location information initially.

5. In an Emergency Action Plan, the emergency notification system would include provisions about alerting all of the following parties about an emergency EXCEPT FOR:

Possible Answers:

  1. Workers’ immediate family members
  2. Location of the incident
  3. Number of shooters, if more than one
  4. Warning individuals not to enter the area where the active shooter may be.

The Correct Answer:

A. In an Emergency Action Plan, the emergency notification system would include provisions about alerting all of the following parties about an emergency EXCEPT FOR Workers’ immediate family members.

6. In an active shooter situation, you must quickly determine the most reasonable way to protect your own life. The first possibility to consider is:

Possible Answers:

  1. Quickly seek a safe environment through evacuation or sheltering
  2. Remove wounded persons from the scene of the incident
  3. Running into the hallway immediately so you can escape
  4. Taking note of the nearest exits in any facility

The Correct Answer:

A. In an active shooter situation, you must quickly determine the most reasonable way to protect your own life. The first possibility to consider is Quickly seeking a safe environment through evacuation or sheltering.

7. Typically there is a predictable pattern in the selection of victims in an active shooter incident.

Possible Answers:

  1. TRUE
  2. FALSE

The Correct Answers:

FALSE: Typically, there is a predictable pattern in selecting victims in an active shooter incident.

8. After an active shooter incident is over, human resources and management should analyze the lessons learned and:

Possible Answers:

  1. Develop an after-action report that describes how the Emergency Action Plan worked and how it might be improved
  2. Immediate deployment of law enforcement
  3. Attempting to move any wounded people to safety
  4. Workers’ immediate family members

The Correct Answer:

A. After an active shooter incident is over, human resources and management should analyze the lessons learned and Develop an after-action report that describes how the Emergency Action Plan worked and how it might be improved.

9. All of the following are good response practices in an active shooter situation EXCEPT FOR:

Possible Answers:

  1. Running into the hallway immediately so you can escape
  2. Staying in the office where you are and securing the door
  3. Being aware of your environment and any possible dangers
  4. Taking note of the nearest exits in any facility

The Correct Answer:

A. All of the following are good response practices in an active shooter situation, EXCEPT FOR running into the hallway immediately so you can escape.

10. When an active shooter situation is in progress, what is usually required to stop the shooter and mitigate harm to victims?

Possible Answers:

  1. Develop an after-action report that describes how the Emergency Action Plan worked and how it might be improved.
  2. Taking note of the nearest exits in any facility
  3. Immediate deployment of law enforcement
  4. None of the above

The Correct Asnwer:

C. When an active shooter situation is in progress, Immediate deployment of law enforcement is usually required to stop the shooter and mitigate harm to victims.

11. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

Possible Answers:

  1. Indicators of potentially violent behavior usually cannot be managed and treated; hence, the only way to effectively prevent workplace violence is to screen for violent tendencies in job applicants successfully
  2. Historically, employees who commit violent acts in the workplace typically just ‘snap,’ which is why preventing situations such as active shooter incidents is impossible
  3. If you notice characteristics of potentially violent behavior in an employee or coworker, you should collect evidence before alerting your supervisor or human resources department
  4. Regardless of the type of workplace violence, the chances for prevention improve with increased awareness of potential warning signs and rapid response to a problem

The Correct Answer:

D. Regardless of the type of workplace violence, the chances for prevention improve with increased awareness of potential warning signs and rapid response to a problem.

12. Employees and customers are likely to follow the lead of managers or uniformed officials during an emergency.

Possible Answers:

  1. TRUE
  2. FALSE

The Correct Answer:

TRUE: Employees and customers are likely to follow the lead of managers or uniformed officials during an emergency.

Why is it important to be prepared for an active shooting event?

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reports that from 2000 to 2018, there were 277 active shooter incidents in the USA, with 2,430 casualties, including 884 deaths [2]. These incidents have occurred in various settings, including schools, workplaces, and public places. 

Active shooter incidents are unpredictable and evolve quickly, making it difficult to plan and respond to them. For example, when an active shooter incident begins, it takes the police an average of 12.5 minutes to respond [3]. This timeframe is enough for the shooter to cause significant damage and harm to people.

The FEMA IS-907 course can help minimize the impact of an active shooter event on a property, tenant, resident safety, and business productivity loss.

Key takeaways: what can individuals do in case of active shooting?

Individuals can take various actions in an active shooting to protect themselves and others [4].

  1. Run: If possible, escape or evacuate the area immediately. Leave belongings behind and help others escape.
  2. Hide: If evacuation is impossible, find a secure hiding location, lock the doors, turn off lights, and silence phones. Try to remain quiet and avoid drawing attention to yourself.
  3. Fight: As a last resort, if confronted by the shooter, individuals should use any available object as a weapon and fight back. Do this only if no other options are available.
  4. Call for help: Call 911 or the local emergency number and provide information about the location and situation.

It is important to note that each situation is unique, but the FEMA IS-907 course helps you to decide what to do in most cases. You should assess it and determine the best action based on the surroundings and available resources. In addition, being mentally prepared and having a plan in advance can help you react quickly and potentially save lives.