Lincoln County employees learn how to survive armed intruder attacks

Lincoln County employees gathered at the Service Center in Merrill last Monday, June 23, 2025, for active threat training that could save their lives if the unthinkable happens.
Deputies from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office led the three-hour session, teaching county workers how to respond when faced with an armed intruder. The training marked a significant shift from older “lockdown” procedures that instructed people to hide and wait.
“We don’t really feel that lockdown is the right answer anymore,” said Deputy Holly Steckbauer during the presentation. “That’s not the solution.”
The change in approach stems from tragic lessons learned during school shootings, particularly the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary shooting where 20 children and six adults were killed.
“Those itty bitty babies, those cute little kids that never had a chance because we told them to sit in the corner,” Steckbauer said, describing how traditional lockdown procedures failed to protect victims. “The bad guy entered multiple classrooms and shot all of those little babies in the corner.”

Instead of the old “sit and wait” mentality, officers now teach the “Run, Hide, Fight” response that gives people options based on their situation.

Run first, if possible
The primary recommendation is evacuation when safe to do so. “If you’re not present, you can’t be hurt,” said Deputy Reed Lazarz, who co-led the training. “That’s one of the biggest takeaways that we want you to get from us.”
Officers emphasized the four-minute window—the national average response time for law enforcement to arrive on scene. “The whole premise of this is for you to give us that four minutes to get on scene so we can do our job,” Lazarz said.
When evacuating, employees learned to move quickly while staying low, use cover and concealment, and avoid parking lots where they could become sitting targets. “If you’re in Walmart and you and 300 other people are trying to evacuate at the same time, that’s going to get really congested really fast,” Steckbauer explained.

Build a fortress when hiding
If escape isn’t possible, the new approach focuses on creating strong barricades rather than simply hiding. “I want you to build a fortress,” Steckbauer instructed. “I want you to build something that nobody’s getting in.”
This means stacking tables, chairs, filing cabinets—anything heavy—against doors. Officers demonstrated how even lightweight items like fire hoses can be used to jam door mechanisms.
“Don’t just hide under your desk,” Lazarz emphasized. “Lock the door and barricade it.”

Fight as a last resort

When all other options are exhausted, officers taught employees to fight back using whatever weapons are available—scissors, hot coffee, staplers, even pencils.
“You are in a fight with no rules,” Steckbauer told the group. “You don’t have to be nice. You don’t have to say please drop the gun. This person is trying to hurt you. It’s time to get mean, it’s time to get angry.”
The training included scenarios where multiple people work together to overwhelm an attacker. “You don’t have to be a bodybuilder to get someone on the ground,” Steckbauer said after demonstrating takedown techniques.

Key survival tips
The officers provided several critical tips for surviving an armed intruder incident:

• Trust your instincts—if something feels wrong, it probably is
• Know your surroundings—always be aware of exits and escape routes
• Call 911 immediately and provide who, what, and where information
• Avoid using code words that confuse the public—just call it like it is: Active shooter
• When barricading, don’t let anyone in, even if they claim to be law enforcement—law enforcement will find a way to confirm their identity
• If forced to fight, aim for the attacker’s head and work as a team, such as by rushing the attacker as a group
• Throw objects to distract and disorient the attacker—heavier and/or sharp objects are best (i.e., scissors, stapler, etc.)
• Create noise and chaos to disrupt the attacker’s plans and disorient the attacker
• Don’t point a gun at anyone (even if you are able to get the attacker’s gun) unless you intend to use it
• Drop the gun into a garbage can or purse and give it to responding officers
• Show your hands to responding officers immediately

Practice makes the difference
The training included realistic scenarios using simulation guns that make noise without firing projectiles. Employees practiced both evacuation and barricading techniques in different areas of the building.
“This training is not here to scare you but to make you start thinking,” said Tyler Verhasselt, the county’s emergency management director who organized the session. “Adopt that warrior ethos and choose not to be a victim.”
The session concluded with officers emphasizing that any action is better than no action. As they quoted Theodore Roosevelt: “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.”

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office plans to offer similar training to other organizations throughout the county. Anyone interested in scheduling active threat training can contact the sheriff’s office.