https://greyhive.com/videos/watch/1b203f6b-a0fb-48db-aff1-83039a472fa4 The first 30 seconds of an active shooter attack can shape everything that follows. In this episode of Making Shooters Better, Terry Vaughan sits down with Ed Monk to examine why time, preparation, decision-making, and realistic training deserve far more attention in active shooter response planning. Ed is a retired Army officer, former law enforcement officer, firearms instructor, author of First 30 Seconds, and longtime researcher of active shooter events. Drawing on nearly two decades of study, he challenges several common assumptions about lockdowns, Run-Hide-Fight, outside response times, and what people already at the scene may need to be prepared to do. In this episode, Terry and Ed discuss: • Why the first 30 seconds are so critical • How quickly casualties can accumulate during an attack • Why recognizing gunfire may take longer than people expect • The delay between the first shot, a 911 call, and an outside response • Where lockdown-only strategies can fall short • Why Ed believes “fight” deserves greater consideration in response planning • The psychological barriers that can prevent people from acting • Why armed responders need to know the limits of their actual shooting ability • The importance of accounting for innocent people beyond the intended target • Why Ed says there are no true “misses” in a crowded public environment—only intended and unintended hits • “The monkey” and how stress can push a responder to shoot faster or farther than their skill allows • Why Ed trains shooters to establish the distance at which they can consistently make accountable hits • How active shooter response differs from the close-range defensive encounters many armed citizens typically train for • Why realistic preparation requires both technical skill and disciplined decision-making Ed also shares details about his active shooter training programs and his book, First 30 Seconds, which explores these issues in greater depth. This is a challenging conversation, but an important one for anyone involved in protecting a school, church, workplace, public venue, or community. Watch the full episode to hear Ed's reasoning, research, and training philosophy in context. If you find the conversation valuable, subscribe to the Laser Ammo channel and share the episode with someone involved in firearms training, emergency planning, school or church safety, or responsible armed defense. To learn more about Ed Monk's work, training, and speaking programs, look for First 30 Seconds and connect with Ed directly through the contact information he shares in the episode. #MakingShootersBetter #LaserAmmo #EdMonk #First30Seconds #ActiveShooterResponse #FirearmsTraining #DefensiveTraining #ResponsibleGunOwnership #TrainingMatters Source: episode transcript provided for this episode. Fri, 11 Sep 2026 05:00:19 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://greyhive.com https://greyhive.com/lazy-static/avatars/5746210d-885d-44b2-9be0-92bf1e4d34df.webp https://greyhive.com/videos/watch/1b203f6b-a0fb-48db-aff1-83039a472fa4 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://greyhive.com/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.