Colorado FASTER training kicks off in June; armed school staff to get skills in active shooter

Reprinted with permission of Complete Colorado

DENVER — Through a partnership with the Independence Institute and the Weld County Sheriff’s Office, Coloradans for Civil Liberties (CCL) — which describes itself as an organization committed to restoring the Second Amendment freedoms of Colorado citizens — has opened registration for its first advanced training for school staff members who are armed first responders, or who would like to be considered.

The Faculty/Administrator Safety Training and Emergency Response (FASTER) program is making its first appearance in Colorado after much success in Ohio.

According to Laura Carno, founder of Coloradans for Civil Liberties, over the past five years, FASTER has trained more than 900 school staff members in Ohio.

FASTER founders — Buckeye Firearms Foundation and Tactical Defense Institute — built a curriculum that teaches school employees allowed to conceal carry the skills necessary to stop active shooter situations, as well as advanced medical training to deal with related injuries such as gunshot wounds, a news release said.

Independence Institute Executive Vice President Amy Cooke* said scholarships are available for the $1,000 class through II. It includes lodging, if needed, and a trauma kit for personnel to take back to their school.

“We have raised scholarship money, because we never want lack of training budget money to keep any school personnel from having access to this lifesaving training,” Cooke said in the news release. “We are honored to partner with CCL to help save the lives of Colorado’s school children.”

The first class, which will take place over a three-day period of June 20th, 21st, and 22nd, will accept 24 students from across Colorado. It is open to those who already possess a Colorado Concealed Handgun Permit and who have already been approved as a school security officer, or who are in the process of being approved, by their school board or charter school board.

The class will teach the same skills and tactics used by law enforcement, and instructors will include law enforcement personnel with extensive knowledge of active shooter situations.

The training is being facilitated with the help of Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams and will take place at an undisclosed location in Weld County.

Reams said his office is supplying the location for the training. Weld County is not supplying instructors or teaching the course.

“You will leave this class physically and mentally exhausted,” Carno said. “But those who have participated agree that it is a wonderful experience and life changing class.”

To make a donation, or to register for the FASTER class, please go to FasterColorado.com.

Media Coverage:

Denver Post - Advanced gun training for Colorado teachers on its way