It happens in seconds. An employee hears what they think might be gunshots in the lobby. Instinctively, they stop moving. They look around, stunned. Their breath shortens. Their body locks up. They freeze.
This moment, so visceral and yet so common, is rarely the one we train for. Most emergency preparedness programs, especially active shooter trainings, emphasize tactical responses: Run. Hide. Fight. The problem with such responses is that in a real-life crisis, a person’s nervous system overrides their logic and in that moment, many people can’t access them. The human brain under extreme stress does not always cooperate.
Most emergency training skips over the emotional and neurological reality of what people are likely to experience. The “freeze” response, which is arguably the most dangerous reaction in a crisis, is often the least addressed.
Effective training starts with an understanding of how people behave under pressure. This article will explore the science behind the freeze response, offer a new approach to preparedness through the lens of mental fitness and provide actionable strategies for learning and development (L&D) professionals to help employees prepare, not just their bodies, but their minds, for crisis.
The Neuroscience of Freezing: When Survival Instincts Backfire
Freezing is one of the body’s oldest survival responses. It belongs to the same family as “fight or flight,” a mechanism hardwired into the human nervous system. When the brain detects a threat, it floods the body with stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. The amygdala, the brain’s fear center, takes over, triggering a physiological response that narrows perception, impairs motor function and deprioritizes complex decision-making.
In evolutionary terms, freezing could help prey avoid detection, but in an active shooter scenario, it can have deadly consequences.
Research consistently shows that a significant number of people experience some degree of freeze or “tonic immobility” during life-threatening events. While some individuals may act instinctively, others may find themselves momentarily paralyzed and unable to move, think clearly or make decisions.
Importantly, the freeze response is not a sign of weakness or ignorance; it’s biology. Factors such as prior trauma, individual stress thresholds and even the perceived clarity of escape options can influence how someone reacts. In high-stress scenarios like active shooter incidents, the brain’s survival wiring can temporarily override logical thought and coordinated action, leading people to shut down instead of spring into motion.
Understanding this reality is critical. Emergency training that ignores the freeze response is incomplete. To truly prepare people, we must address not just what to do, but how to think, feel and respond when instincts take over.
That’s why even well-known mantras like “Run, Hide, Fight” can fall short. These instructions presume access to rational thought and coordinated movement. But under extreme stress, those capacities are often compromised.
Acknowledging this truth is empowering. Once we understand that freezing is a natural response, we can train people to move through it. But first, we have to name it, normalize it and build our training around it.
Rethinking Safety Training as Mental Fitness
What if emergency response training wasn’t just about physical action, but also about mental readiness and mental fitness; that is, the ability to stay aware, manage your emotions and make decisions under pressure. Just as physical fitness enables someone to perform a task with strength and endurance, mental fitness equips individuals to respond with clarity and control when it matters most.
This approach isn’t entirely new. CPR training and fire drills build competence through repetition. They reduce panic by increasing familiarity. The same logic applies to active threat scenarios. The more individuals mentally rehearse realistic scenarios through guided walkthroughs and emotionally engaging dialogue — not physical reenactment — the more prepared they are to act.
An effective response model should do more than list tactical steps; it must also address the psychological reality of high-stress decision-making. The most useful frameworks guide individuals through a series of intentional choices: quickly assessing the threat, escaping if possible, creating barriers when necessary, using force only as a last resort and re-emerging safely when conditions allow. This kind of approach supports decision-making under pressure by offering a clear, adaptable mental pathway — one that recognizes the likelihood of freezing and provides a way to move beyond it. At its core, it emphasizes situational awareness, self-preservation and confidence, empowering individuals to act rather than react.
When crisis training is approached this way, something powerful happens. Employees don’t just feel informed; they feel capable. The emotional return on investment is high: teams feel safer, more unified and more trusting because of their organization’s commitment to their well-being.
Actionable Steps for L&D Leaders to Build Emotional Readiness
L&D professionals are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between compliance-driven safety training and programs that instill confidence and capability. Building emotional readiness into emergency preparedness begins with normalizing the freeze response. When training starts with a simple explanation of the brain’s reaction to extreme stress, participants can be more likely to let go of shame or self-doubt and engage in the learning process.
Scenario-based walkthroughs can be a powerful tool, and emotionally reflective, controlled discussions can help participants build mental muscle memory while avoiding undue stress or trauma. The goal isn’t to create fear, but to build familiarity and develop the kind of decision-making skills that hold up under pressure.
Another important topic to cover is calming techniques. Teaching participants how to regulate their nervous systems through tools like focused breathing or visual grounding can help them return to a state where logic is accessible. These simple techniques can make the critical difference between freezing and acting.
After any high-stakes simulation, emotional debriefs offer an opportunity for deeper learning. Encouraging people to reflect on what they felt, what surprised them and how they might respond differently next time not only reinforces key lessons but also builds emotional resilience.
Finally, layer in microlearning, which can include bite-sized content like short videos, visual reminders or periodic scenario refreshers, to help keep essential concepts top of mind post training. Whether in-person or in a hybrid environment, these strategies can make safety training more human-centered, engaging and, ultimately, effective.
Looking Ahead
Effective emergency response training prepares the mind without traumatizing the body. By focusing on mental fitness and scenario-based walk-and-talks, organizations can protect employees without exposing them to unnecessary emotional harm. Organizations that want to truly safeguard their people must think beyond checklists and drills and equip employees with both tactical know-how and the mindset and mental strength to act under pressure.
L&D leaders have the power to shape how their organizations respond to the unthinkable. Training for the freeze and giving people the tools to move through it does more than just prepare them to survive; it helps them believe they can.
And that belief can make all the difference.
