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Tips, Tactics, and Tools PodcastAuthor: Brink Fidler & Tom Herring
"Tips, Tactics, and Tools for a Safer Tomorrow" was inspired by frequent discussions between Brink Fidler, President of Defend Systems, and Tom Herring, Owner of Herring Technology, both driven by their commitment to educating clients on enhancing safety and security. Defend Systems specializes in physical security consulting and active shooter response training, while Herring Technology focuses on security solutions like access control, surveillance, alarms, and more. This podcast dives deep into all things safety and securitywhether at home, work, church, or in public spaces. Our diverse guests come from a wide range of backgrounds, including school security experts, survivors of active shooter incidents, rescue task force managers, risk management professionals, technology specialists, federal agents, law enforcement experts, K9 trainers, and many more. Language: en Genres: Education, Self-Improvement, Technology Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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068 - Empowered, Not Afraid: A Civilian Perspective on Active Shooter Training
Episode 68
Tuesday, 24 February, 2026
What really changes after active shooter response training? In this episode, Mary Dexter, Facilities Manager at National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), shares her "before and after" perspective following Defend Systems training. Mary explains why she felt compelled to bring the training to her leadership team, and what shifted across her organization once employees experienced it. From facility walkthroughs to rapid response medical training, she discusses the practical value of preparation and why this training is about empowerment, not fear. If you're a business leader, facilities manager, or everyday civilian wondering whether this training is worth the time, this episode offers a firsthand look at what it actually feels like to go through it, and why Mary says there's no reason not to equip people with knowledge that could save a life. 3:20 — Why this episode exists: hearing from an everyday civilian about empowerment, not fear 4:16 — Why Mary advocated to bring active shooter response training to NASBA 7:20 — Who initiates security training and why it's now viewed like disaster preparedness 12:50 — Mary's view on the time commitment 15:10 — Considering the risk of employees regularly exposed to public environments 16:39 — You never know the final trigger in a person in crisis 18:00 — Three confirmed life-saves from rapid response medical training 19:15 — No one wants to face this, but it's necessary 20:14 — Why Mary calls the training empowering, not fear-based 26:00 — Emotional investment without causing trauma 31:14 — Why laws and codes haven't caught up 32:59 — Encouraging listeners to contact elected representatives 34:49 — No reason not to empower people with life-saving knowledge 37:19 — Perishable skills and training your primitive brain 38:38 — Addressing prior trauma and offering pre-conversations with employees 41:42 — Those who trained may have to care for those who didn't 43:10 — A skillset that lasts a lifetime
