The preferred response to a violent critical incident is a multi‑option, proactive safety strategy (often taught through models like ALICE: Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate), not a single “lockdown only” action.

Key idea: multi‑option response

Modern safety guidance has moved away from one rigid response (such as “hide and wait”) toward flexible options based on your location, the threat, and available exits.

  • The goal is to maximize survival chances, not to follow a single fixed rule.
  • Federal and state guidance increasingly supports approaches that empower people to choose between actions like evacuating, locking down, or resisting, instead of relying only on traditional lockdown.

Typical preferred model (ALICE)

A commonly referenced framework for violent critical incidents is ALICE , which summarizes the multi‑option approach.

  • Alert: Recognize signs of danger quickly and overcome denial so you can act immediately.
  • Lockdown: If you cannot safely escape, lock or barricade doors, turn off lights, and get out of sight behind solid cover.
  • Inform: Share real‑time information about the assailant’s location and direction to help others make safer decisions.
  • Counter: As a last resort, disrupt and disorient the attacker (e.g., movement, noise, distraction, physical resistance) if directly confronted and escape is not possible.
  • Evacuate: If it is reasonably safe, get away from the danger zone using any available exits or safe routes.

What this means if you’re answering a question

When exam or training questions ask, “Which of the following is the preferred response to a violent critical incident?”, the best choice is usually the option that:

  • Describes a multi‑option, proactive strategy (e.g., “use an ALICE‑style approach: alert, lockdown, inform, counter, evacuate”) rather than just “lock the door and wait.”
  • Emphasizes quick situational assessment, communication, and choosing between escape, hiding/barricading, or last‑resort resistance depending on what is safest in the moment.

If you share the exact answer choices, a more precise recommendation can be given, but the guiding principle is: the preferred response is a flexible, multi‑option survival strategy, not a single fixed action.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.