Hide from Active Shooters (Lockdown Tactics)

A lockdown room is a place to take temporary cover when leaving is unsafe, not a guaranteed safe room. Follow local emergency directions: leave if you can do so safely; otherwise, move out of sight, silence your phone, and contact emergency services when safe. Plan rooms in advance, preserve required exits and life-safety systems, and never rely on an unapproved barricade.

Your region, building type, and local emergency plan all matter. A school classroom, office, transit facility, and event venue may have different rules for doors, alarms, staffing, and evacuation. A room that seems suitable may not be accessible, may lack reliable communications, or may have an exit route that must remain clear.

I use a simple planning test: can occupants reach the room without crossing danger, follow the site’s procedure, communicate when safe, and leave when officials direct them to? No room or device can promise protection. This guide explains how to prepare without turning a temporary shelter into a sealed refuge or creating a fire and egress hazard.

Planning: Threat Response, Occupancy, and Code Review

A lockdown plan sets out what people should do when a threat is reported and who gives instructions. It should fit the building’s use, local emergency procedures, and applicable codes. A room is only one part of the plan; staff roles, communication, accessible routes, and a clear exit strategy matter too.

Start by asking the facilities lead which rooms are approved for temporary shelter and who can issue a lockdown notice. Confirm how occupants will learn that the threat has ended or that they must move. Do not assume a classroom, restroom, storage room, or office is suitable just because it has a door.

CISA’s Active Shooter: How to Respond advises people to run if they can do so safely, hide if escape is not safe, and fight only as a last resort when facing the attacker. Follow instructions from law enforcement and your organization. A lockdown procedure should not delay a safe escape.

For each proposed room, review:

• Who may need to use it, including people with mobility, hearing, or vision disabilities.
• The usual number of occupants and whether they can enter without crowding the doorway.
• The available route to the room and any alternative route out.
• How people can receive alerts and call for help.
• Fire alarms, sprinklers, ventilation, and other life-safety features.
• Who checks the plan with the local building or fire official, also called the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).

There is no single room size or capacity that works for every building. Ask the AHJ to review the intended use and occupant load under locally adopted rules. Keep the written plan simple, easy to find, and consistent with the organization’s emergency training.

Access and Clearances: Door Operation, Egress, and Accessibility

Egress means the route and ability to leave a building or room during an emergency. A lockdown measure must not prevent required exit. Where ADA standards apply, check the door opening, threshold, and hardware. Local building and fire codes also govern door operation, and requirements vary by building and occupancy.

Measure the usable clear opening with the door open 90 degrees. Under the 2010 ADA Standards, this opening must be at least 32 inches (815 mm) where the accessibility requirements apply. A door may look wide enough but provide less usable space because of its hardware or position.

The ADA standards also set a maximum threshold height of ½ inch (13 mm) under the applicable door provisions. Changes in level over ¼ inch need compliant beveling. Where ADA applies, accessible door hardware must be 34 to 48 inches (865 to 1,220 mm) above the finished floor. These measurements do not replace a full accessibility review.

Check that occupants can reach and operate the door, and that any approved security feature does not block the required path out. Do not assume a key, tool, or improvised barricade is allowed. A device that delays entry could also trap occupants or impede responders. The AHJ must review the proposed hardware for the adopted code and specific occupancy.

Check	Verified reference point	What to confirm
Clear door opening	At least 32 in. (815 mm) where ADA applies	Measure with the door open 90 degrees
Threshold	Maximum ½ in. (13 mm) under applicable ADA provisions	Check for level changes and required beveling
Hardware height	34–48 in. (865–1,220 mm) where ADA applies	Measure from the finished floor
Exit operation	Set by locally adopted code	Confirm occupants can leave as required
Ventilation	No universal lockdown-room CFM figure	Preserve required airflow and system openings

A room’s door should work in ordinary use, during evacuation, and during an approved drill. If a security change makes any of those harder, pause and ask the facilities lead and AHJ to review it before use.

Execution: Approved Construction and Hardware

Approved construction means work reviewed for the building’s use and local code, rather than a quick alteration made on site. Use only hardware and building changes approved for the specific door and room. Preserve required egress, accessibility, fire protection, and ventilation; do not treat a stronger door as proof that a room is safe.

Before installation or adjustment, survey the room with facilities staff. Record the room’s normal use, occupant load, accessible route, exit path, door clearances, fire-protection features, and communications coverage. Check the local lockdown procedure and ask the AHJ what review is needed.

If changes are approved, use appropriately listed hardware and qualified professionals. Do not drill into or alter a fire-rated door, wall, or frame without approval for that assembly. A fire-rated assembly is designed to slow fire and smoke; unapproved changes can affect its performance. Keep sprinkler coverage and alarms in service.

Ventilation needs depend on the building and its systems. There is no universal airflow number for a lockdown room. Do not block supply, return, or transfer openings, or openings that serve smoke-control systems. Have the design checked against locally adopted mechanical code requirements and the building’s system design.

Illustrative planning scenarios, not documented case studies: In an office, a facilities team may find that a proposed room’s door swings into a corridor and narrows the route. The right next step is a code review, not an improvised door stop. At an event venue, staff may find a room with weak phone coverage; they can test approved communication options and update staff procedures before an event. Neither scenario establishes that the room is safe or suitable without review.

Verification: Inspection, Communications, and Drill Readiness

Verification is a check that an approved room and plan work as intended in normal conditions. Facilities staff and the AHJ should review the installation, door operation, accessibility, communications, and staff procedures. A drill should test coordination without blocking exits or disabling alarms, sprinklers, or other life-safety systems.

After approved work, check that the door opens and closes as intended and that its operation still meets egress rules. Confirm the accessible route and door clearances remain usable. Test communications using the organization’s approved process, and confirm who contacts emergency services and how people receive updates.

Run drills under the site’s safety policy. Tell participants what the exercise involves, avoid creating confusion with a real emergency, and keep all exits available. The exercise should check whether staff know their roles and can communicate, not test an unapproved barricade or try to defeat a door.

Record issues, assign someone to fix each one, and repeat the relevant check. Revisit the plan after renovations, changes in room use, changes to the adopted code, or new direction from emergency officials. Building systems and local rules can change, so an old approval should not be treated as permanent.

What to Do During an Immediate Threat

A response is a fast choice based on what you know and what is safe at that moment. Follow local instructions and emergency responders. If a safe exit is available, leave; if it is not, move to a place where you are less exposed, stay quiet, and contact authorities when safe.

If you can safely leave, do not delay to collect belongings. Warn others only if doing so does not slow or endanger you. Once away, follow instructions from emergency officials and avoid re-entering until they say it is safe.

If escape is unsafe, use the site’s lockdown procedure. Move out of the attacker’s view, silence your phone, and keep quiet. If the door can be secured using an approved method without putting you in greater danger, follow the procedure. Do not use a method that blocks required exit or delays a responder’s directions.

Call emergency services when it is safe to do so. Give the location and information you know, and avoid guessing. When officers arrive, keep your hands visible and follow their commands. Their first actions may focus on stopping the threat, so continue to follow directions.

Common Questions

These answers cover common planning and response concerns, but local emergency plans and code decisions take precedence. A room’s suitability depends on its use, building systems, and adopted rules. Ask the facilities lead or AHJ about site-specific questions before changing a door, room, or procedure.

Should I run or hide?
Leave if you can do so safely. If escape is unsafe, hide and follow your site’s plan. CISA describes fighting as a last resort when directly confronted.

Does every building need a designated lockdown room?
No single rule makes one room suitable for every building. Site leaders should work with facilities staff and the AHJ to plan for the building’s use, routes, occupants, and local requirements.

Can I use a chair or other object to block a door?
Do not rely on an improvised barricade. It may obstruct required exit or hinder responders. Follow an approved site procedure and local emergency directions.

Can a lockdown room be sealed or airtight?
No. It should not be made airtight or treated as a refuge for prolonged occupancy. Preserve required ventilation and life-safety systems.

Is there a required airflow rate for a lockdown room?
There is no universal CFM figure. Ventilation depends on the building and its systems. Have the design checked against locally adopted requirements.

What is the ADA minimum clear door opening?
Where the 2010 ADA Standards apply, the clear opening must be at least 32 inches (815 mm) with the door open 90 degrees. A full accessibility review may involve more than this measurement.

Who approves a security change to a door?
The facilities lead should coordinate with qualified professionals and the AHJ. Approval depends on the adopted code, occupancy, door assembly, and effect on egress.

How often should we check the plan?
Review it after changes to the building, room use, systems, or local procedures. Follow the organization’s drill and maintenance schedule, and address problems found during checks.

Sources: CISA, Active Shooter: How to Respond; U.S. Department of Justice, 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, §§404.2.3, 404.2.5, and 404.2.7. Building and fire-code requirements depend on the locally adopted edition and the authority having jurisdiction.

(This article was written by one of our staff writers, Steven Langford. Visit our Meet the Team page.)