A little background: my sister is a flight attendant, and she received an email asking for friends and family members to participate as role players in an active shooter training scenario at the Honolulu International Airport. These would be training drills for first responders to hone their skills in dealing with mass shootings.  It seemed like a fun and educational way to spend the evening, so I volunteered.   What ensued was a four hour joint training exercise between HPD, TSA, HFD, EMS, Sheriffs and probably a few other organizations as well. I won't divulge what I saw as far as training or tactics on the part of the LEO's and first responders, but I will share insights and knowledge I gleaned as a civilian/victim participating in the exercise. 

The first scenario: Two shooters enter the airport and begin opening fire before they reach the TSA screening line
We were given the general direction of where the shooters were coming from, but other than that we were told to just respond naturally as events unfold.  Some people were in line at the check in kiosks.  Other people were in line at the TSA screening station.  I was one of the role players in line at the TSA.  I thought to myself damn this is going to be easy.  Just run for cover, and don't look back.  The funny thing is, even though I've heard it countless times at the range, and I even though I knew it was coming, the gunfire still took me by surprise.  It was like firecrackers, followed by screaming and yelling.  Everybody in line ducks down and freezes in place.  We shouldn't stay here, we're out in the open.   We're crouched behind a thin plastic sign, a conveyor belt, and a trash can.  My gut is telling me to run, everything about this situation is telling me to run, but because everyone else is staying put, I'm compelled by this unseen force, this invisible peer pressure to stay put too.  By the time I can formulate it into words, "Hey we should get out of here..." the shooter is already on top of us.   His gun sweeps across everyone huddled down in line.  We're all dead.  All of our lives snuffed out in a matter of seconds. 

What I learned from this scenario: Trust your instincts and run.  One of the instructors explained after the scenario that shooters like to fire into large crowds of people to optimize their body count, so it's usually best to pick a direction no one else is going and run.  Two of my family members were in line with me as role players, and because they stayed-- I stayed, even though my instincts told me otherwise.  I think the real lesson is, training needs to go beyond the individual.  Even just a simple conversation like, "Hey if this situation happens, this is what we do as a family..."  Thankfully, in the downtime after this scenario my family had that conversation and now we're better prepared. 

The second scenario:  same as the first but this time I'm carded as someone with a gunshot wound to the thigh
These scenarios also includes various injury cards for victims for the medical responders to assess and treat.  For this scenario, I have a gunshot wound to the thigh card.   The gunfire goes off and the shooters run past me.  I'm on the ground screaming and hollering for help.  I try to make my voice as horrible and agonizing as I can.  Minutes pass.  The police go in after the shooter. Gunfire.  More time passes.  More police. More gunfire.  I'm already losing my voice because I've been yelling for so long.  Eventually the EMS team comes in behind a protective layer of police.   I get "picked up" and moved to the triage point and a short while later, evacuated out.
 
What I learned from this scenario: if you get injured it can take a long time for help to arrive.  The police's first priority is to stop the shooter and then to render aide.  Also, I was still potentially mobile with one leg; I should've hopped/crawled my way to safety, which would have gotten me aide that much quicker, rather than waiting for help to come to me.  Finally I hate to say it, but by being vocal I was given care before other people, some of which had more serious injuries on their card. Or maybe I was just the better actor.   

The third scenario: two shooters fight their way through TSA and into the main airport terminal
For this one the majority of the role players were already through TSA and waiting in the boarding areas.  The place with the Starbucks and those funky leather chairs and the big bay windows where you can see the planes docking.  The two shooters fight their way through TSA and explode into the terminal in a hail of gunfire.  By now all the role players have gotten the hang of things and we're running and hiding like scared little bunnies.  But because of the timing of this scenario, the shooters are already deep into the terminal long before law enforcement could get there.  Law enforcement arrives and they don't know where the shooters went or what they look like.  I'm crouched behind a wall, peering over at the mayhem when the police come in.  Bodies are on the ground everywhere.   "Suspect behind the wall!"  They shout at me.  "Show me your hands!  Come out from behind the wall!"  I comply and come out from behind the wall.  I'm told to lie flat on my stomach with my hands in front of me.  They ask me if I saw the shooter.  No, I didn't see him.  Sorry. 

It's at this point I do something stupid.  I see all the LEO's in their tactical gear guns drawn, and I think: This'll make a pretty sick photo... I reach into my pocket and pull out my phone.  "Gun! Gun! Gun!!"  Five LEO's whirl on me with their guns drawn.  Even though I know it's just a training exercise, it is still pretty damn scary.  Sorry!  It's just a phone.  The police line everybody up on one side of the terminal and ask if we know the people around us.  They're trying to figure out if the shooter is one of the living or dead, or still somewhere in the airport.  Eventually they find him. 

What I learned from this scenario: don't take pictures during an active shooting situation.  It could get you killed!  Also, the first responders don't immediately know who is friend or foe, so it's important to proceed with caution even when help arrives on scene. 

The fourth scenario: A bomber and a shooter get stopped by TSA
Like the third scenario, the majority of the role players were already in the terminal, with a few in the TSA line.  A fight breaks out in the line.  There's pushing and shoving and yelling.  Is this still part of the exercise? Everyone creeps closer to get a better view.  A crowd of curious onlookers gathers.  The bomber opens up her jacket, and everyone takes off running.  It was all a ruse to draw more people into the blast radius.  The shooter opens fire.  Crazy chaos ensues.  Eventually the LEOs are able to neutralize all the attackers. 

What I learned from this scenario: be mindful of surroundings and wary of crowds. 

Overall it was a great experience, and I recommend anyone who has the opportunity to do so, to volunteer and give it a try.   I have so much respect for our LEO's and first responders and what they do in the line of duty, and I am humbled by all they go through to keep us all safe. 

I was an actor in active shooter at a school incident quite a few years ago, was an interesting experience. Even though it was blanks it did start to get the blood going when the shooter shot a blank at us. It was swat instead of patrol but now they concentrate on patrol because swat won't get there in time.

Don't feel too bad about freezing the first time. As someone who has been involved in developing AS response plans and in planning and executing multiple AS exercises, I can tell you that in all of them, folks freeze. One of the major teaching points is that if it seems like gunfire, it is...and to act accordingly. We also emphasize open hands in the air when the police do arrive, and to not try to grab onto the police...

Sounds like you had a little fun and learned something...

Sounds like you learned a lot.  Was everyone participating actors? Or was a portion of the airport shut down for this?

Some advice for you and your family.  You can talk and discuss it all you want, but with out training and practical exercises, you will probably always end up "freezing".

Thanks for filling us in.

That was a  great post.   

Great write up. Thanks. It's must have been stressful. Leo keep up the training, hope it will never happen.

Thanks for volunteering and the post.
I did  Major Catastrophe (earthquake/tsunami) / Bio-chemical  mass casualty and decon scenario a few years a go at Kahuku Hospital and helipad with CD, HPPD, HFD, Marines etc...
Pretty enlightening, especially the de-con process.
Cool tents.

A little background: my sister is a flight attendant...................

Pics of sister.  K-thanks.