ALICE Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate Instructor Certification — Questions and Answers
Question 1: How does ALICE training improve outcomes specifically during the first few minutes of an incident before police arrive?
- By ensuring all doors are automatically locked by a central system
- By enabling trained individuals to make informed, proactive decisions independently (Correct answer)
- By triggering an automatic building lockdown via sensors
- By broadcasting a recorded message over the intercom
Correct answer: By enabling trained individuals to make informed, proactive decisions independently
The first few minutes are the most critical, and ALICE-trained individuals can act on their own judgment rather than waiting passively.
Question 2: Which factor most commonly delays the Alert phase in real active threat events, according to ALICE research?
- Poor cell phone reception in buildings
- Excessive bureaucratic approval chains for alerts
- Hesitation to act due to uncertainty about the nature of the threat (Correct answer)
- Lack of PA system infrastructure
Correct answer: Hesitation to act due to uncertainty about the nature of the threat
People often delay reporting because they second-guess whether the sounds or behavior they observed truly indicate a threat, costing critical response time.
Question 3: What is the most effective study technique according to research?
- Re-reading notes multiple times
- Listening to music while studying
- Highlighting text
- Active recall with spaced repetition (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Active recall with spaced repetition
Active recall (testing yourself) combined with spaced repetition (reviewing at intervals) is the most effective study method per cognitive science research.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of professional certification in Lockdown Procedures?
- To replace practical experience
- To validate competency and knowledge in the field (Correct answer)
- To meet legal requirements only
- To increase salary automatically
Correct answer: To validate competency and knowledge in the field
Certification validates that a professional has met established standards of knowledge and competency in Lockdown Procedures.
Question 5: Which resource should ALICE Instructors use to stay current with evolving active-threat research and best practices?
- ALICE Training Institute updates, peer-reviewed safety research, FBI active shooter studies, and CISA publications (Correct answer)
- Only their original instructor certification materials
- Fictional crime novels
- Social media influencers specializing in self-defense
Correct answer: ALICE Training Institute updates, peer-reviewed safety research, FBI active shooter studies, and CISA publications
Credible, authoritative sources like ALICE Training Institute, FBI, and CISA provide evidence-based updates that keep instructor knowledge current and accurate.
Question 6: How often must ALICE Instructors renew or update their certification?
- ALICE Training Institute requires periodic recertification or continuing education to maintain current instructor status (Correct answer)
- Every 10 years
- Monthly re-examination is required
- Certification is lifetime with no renewal required
Correct answer: ALICE Training Institute requires periodic recertification or continuing education to maintain current instructor status
ALICE Training Institute requires instructors to stay current through recertification or continuing education to ensure they teach the latest protocols.
Question 7: What is dead reckoning in navigation?
- Using GPS only
- Estimating current position based on a known past position and course/speed (Correct answer)
- Following the stars
- Guessing the location
Correct answer: Estimating current position based on a known past position and course/speed
Dead reckoning calculates the current position by applying known speed, time elapsed, and course steered from the last known position.
Question 8: A scenario presents a situation where an ALICE-trained employee correctly evacuates but does not know where the rally point is. What critical pre-incident step did this failure reveal?
- Rally points are determined spontaneously during an event
- The employee should have barricaded instead of evacuating
- Pre-incident planning was incomplete — rally points must be trained and memorized before an event occurs (Correct answer)
- Only managers need to know rally point locations
Correct answer: Pre-incident planning was incomplete — rally points must be trained and memorized before an event occurs
ALICE training requires pre-incident planning so all occupants know rally points before an event; improvising rally points during a crisis creates confusion.
Question 9: In the context of ALICE lockdown procedures, what is meant by 'situational awareness'?
- Memorizing the school or office floor plan
- Knowing all emergency exits before entering a building
- Continuously observing and understanding your environment to make informed decisions during a threat (Correct answer)
- Following a pre-assigned role during an emergency
Correct answer: Continuously observing and understanding your environment to make informed decisions during a threat
Situational awareness means continuously gathering and processing information about what is happening around you so you can choose the safest ALICE option in real time.
Question 10: If you are in a hallway when a lockdown is announced, what is the recommended ALICE action?
- Run to the nearest exit regardless of your location
- Move to the nearest lockable room as quickly as possible (Correct answer)
- Stand against the wall and wait for instructions
- Drop to the floor and crawl to a classroom
Correct answer: Move to the nearest lockable room as quickly as possible
ALICE recommends moving immediately to the nearest lockable room to get behind a barrier rather than remaining exposed in a hallway.
Question 11: Why is geographic specificity (e.g., 'north stairwell, third floor') more valuable in an ALICE alert than a general building-wide warning?
- General warnings are prohibited by ALICE protocols
- It satisfies OSHA reporting requirements
- It allows occupants far from the threat to safely evacuate while those nearby shelter (Correct answer)
- It reduces legal liability for the institution
Correct answer: It allows occupants far from the threat to safely evacuate while those nearby shelter
Specific location data enables a zoned response where individuals make decisions based on their proximity to the threat rather than everyone reacting identically.
Question 12: A teacher hears gunshots but cannot see the shooter. What is the BEST initial alert action?
- Immediately announce the location of the shots heard over any available channel (Correct answer)
- Wait for an official announcement before doing anything
- Call the front office and wait on hold
- Quietly tell only adjacent classrooms
Correct answer: Immediately announce the location of the shots heard over any available channel
Quickly broadcasting the approximate location of gunshots allows others to make real-time decisions even without perfect information.
Question 13: Which organization issues the official ALICE Instructor certification?
- FEMA
- Department of Homeland Security
- National School Safety Center
- ALICE Training Institute (Correct answer)
Correct answer: ALICE Training Institute
ALICE Training Institute is the originating organization that develops curriculum and awards official ALICE Instructor certification.
Question 14: What should occupants do with their mobile phones during a lockdown?
- Turn them off completely to avoid detection
- Use them silently to receive updates and communicate with authorities if safe to do so (Correct answer)
- Only use phones if physically injured
- Avoid all phone use as it distracts from awareness
Correct answer: Use them silently to receive updates and communicate with authorities if safe to do so
Mobile phones can be used silently to receive emergency notifications and relay information to law enforcement without creating noise that reveals your position.
Question 15: Which type of alert message best aligns with ALICE guidelines?
- 'Code Blue — all staff report to stations'
- 'Attention, this is not a drill, please remain calm'
- 'Emergency personnel are responding, stay in place for further instructions'
- 'There is an active shooter near the gymnasium, east hallway, moving north' (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 'There is an active shooter near the gymnasium, east hallway, moving north'
ALICE recommends specific, plain-language descriptions of the threat location and movement to enable informed decision-making.
Question 16: What age-appropriate modification does ALICE Training recommend for elementary school children?
- Elementary students are excluded from all ALICE training
- Younger children are taught simplified concepts focused on evacuation and understanding alert signals, with less emphasis on Counter (Correct answer)
- Elementary children should receive identical training to adults, including Counter tactics
- Children are taught to confront shooters using swarm tactics from kindergarten
Correct answer: Younger children are taught simplified concepts focused on evacuation and understanding alert signals, with less emphasis on Counter
ALICE provides developmentally appropriate curricula for young children that emphasize recognizing alerts and evacuating safely, while de-emphasizing or omitting Counter tactics.
Question 17: When should an ALICE alert be canceled or given an 'all-clear'?
- When the building principal decides the threat has passed
- Immediately after law enforcement arrives on scene
- After law enforcement has secured the scene and confirmed the threat has been neutralized (Correct answer)
- When 30 minutes have passed since the initial alert
Correct answer: After law enforcement has secured the scene and confirmed the threat has been neutralized
Only law enforcement can confirm a scene is secure; the all-clear should come after their official announcement that the threat is neutralized.
Question 18: What is the primary purpose of earning an ALICE Instructor certification?
- To become a licensed security contractor
- To manage all emergency communications for your institution
- To be qualified to deliver ALICE training to others within your organization or community (Correct answer)
- To replace law enforcement in active-threat situations
Correct answer: To be qualified to deliver ALICE training to others within your organization or community
ALICE Instructor certification qualifies individuals to train staff, students, or employees in ALICE protocols at their institution.
Question 19: In ALICE training, who is authorized to initiate an alert during an active threat event?
- Only law enforcement officers on scene
- Anyone who has information about the threat (Correct answer)
- Only the principal or building administrator
- Only designated safety team members
Correct answer: Anyone who has information about the threat
ALICE empowers anyone with threat information to initiate an alert, removing the bottleneck of waiting for a single authority.
Question 20: Which benefit does ALICE training provide in environments with high staff turnover, such as hospitals?
- New staff never need training since ALICE is intuitive
- High turnover environments are exempt from ALICE requirements
- A standardized, repeatable curriculum ensures new staff can be quickly brought to the same preparedness level (Correct answer)
- ALICE training is a one-time event that covers all future staff
Correct answer: A standardized, repeatable curriculum ensures new staff can be quickly brought to the same preparedness level
ALICE's structured curriculum can be consistently delivered to new employees, maintaining organization-wide preparedness despite turnover.
Question 21: What is the process of elimination in multiple-choice testing?
- Removing your first answer
- Skipping every other question
- Eliminating questions you don't know
- Ruling out obviously incorrect answers to improve odds (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Ruling out obviously incorrect answers to improve odds
Process of elimination involves identifying and removing clearly wrong answers, increasing the probability of selecting the correct answer from remaining options.
Question 22: How does ALICE Training enhance situational awareness?
- By training participants to remain passive during emergencies.
- By limiting the use of communication devices to avoid distraction.
- By focusing only on physical defense tactics.
- By teaching participants how to quickly identify potential threats and make informed decisions. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: By teaching participants how to quickly identify potential threats and make informed decisions.
ALICE Training emphasizes the importance of situational awareness by training individuals to observe their surroundings, recognize potential threats, and understand the dynamics of an active shooter event. It moves beyond a one-size-fits-all response, encouraging participants to constantly evaluate the situation and choose the most appropriate action from the ALICE options. This critical thinking and rapid assessment are key to enhancing situational awareness and making life-saving decisions.
Question 23: Which ALICE module addresses the psychological aftermath and recovery following a violent incident?
- Threat Alert Module
- Secure Lockdown Module
- Counter Training Module
- Post-Incident Response Module (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Post-Incident Response Module
The Post-Incident Response Module covers trauma-informed care, psychological first aid, and organizational recovery steps after a violent event.
Question 24: Which communication tool is typically given HIGHEST priority for initial threat notification in a large building under ALICE?
- Social media posts
- Door-to-door verbal relay
- Individual cell phone texts
- The building's public address (PA) system (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The building's public address (PA) system
The PA system reaches the entire building simultaneously, making it the fastest way to notify all occupants at once.
Question 25: What is the NATO phonetic alphabet letter for 'B'?
- Baker
- Beta
- Boy
- Bravo (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Bravo
In the NATO phonetic alphabet, 'B' is represented by 'Bravo.' This ensures clear radio communication.
Question 26: What is the purpose of accounting for all occupants after a lockdown ends?
- To verify that no property was damaged during the event
- To document attendance for administrative records
- To identify any missing persons and report them to law enforcement so the scene can be fully cleared (Correct answer)
- To determine who will need counseling services
Correct answer: To identify any missing persons and report them to law enforcement so the scene can be fully cleared
Accounting for all individuals allows responders to identify anyone who may be missing, injured, or hiding in an unsecured location.
Question 27: ALICE training programs for higher education must address which challenge not typically present in K-12 schools?
- Lack of law enforcement response resources
- Open campuses with multiple entry points and autonomous adult populations (Correct answer)
- Younger students who are harder to direct
- Larger classrooms with more students
Correct answer: Open campuses with multiple entry points and autonomous adult populations
College and university campuses are typically open environments with adult students who move freely, requiring different alert and evacuation strategies compared to controlled K-12 campuses.
Question 28: What do port and starboard refer to?
- Left and right sides of a vessel respectively (Correct answer)
- Anchor positions
- Top and bottom decks
- Front and back of a vessel
Correct answer: Left and right sides of a vessel respectively
Port is the left side (red light) and starboard is the right side (green light) when facing the bow (front) of the vessel.
Question 29: An ALICE alert is broadcast, but a classroom teacher's door is propped open. The teacher's FIRST priority related to the Alert phase should be:
- Continue teaching until the alert is officially repeated
- Send a student to close the door
- Investigate the hallway to assess the threat personally
- Secure the door immediately while processing the alert information (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Secure the door immediately while processing the alert information
Securing the immediate environment while processing alert information is a simultaneous priority — do not delay physical security actions waiting for more details.
Question 30: In ALICE training, what is the purpose of providing ongoing narrative updates after the initial alert?
- To provide a script for law enforcement upon arrival
- To give administrators time to reach their offices
- To keep occupants informed so they can continuously reassess their response options (Correct answer)
- To comply with federal documentation requirements
Correct answer: To keep occupants informed so they can continuously reassess their response options
Ongoing updates empower individuals to make real-time decisions as the situation evolves rather than acting on outdated information.
Question 31: During a lockdown drill, why is it important to practice barricading with actual furniture?
- To determine which furniture needs to be replaced
- So occupants know in advance what is available and how to use it effectively under stress (Correct answer)
- To satisfy OSHA furniture-inspection requirements
- Because ALICE requires all drills to include physical barricading
Correct answer: So occupants know in advance what is available and how to use it effectively under stress
Practicing with real furniture builds muscle memory and reveals practical limitations so occupants can act quickly and effectively during an actual event.
Question 32: When delivering ALICE training to K-12 students, what adjustment should certified instructors make compared to adult sessions?
- Adapt language, scenarios, and physical exercises to be age-appropriate and trauma-informed (Correct answer)
- Require students to sign liability waivers before participating
- Use identical content and intensity as adult training
- Skip the Counter option entirely and focus only on paperwork
Correct answer: Adapt language, scenarios, and physical exercises to be age-appropriate and trauma-informed
Age-appropriate, trauma-informed adaptation ensures students gain meaningful skills without causing unnecessary fear or psychological harm.
Question 33: When applying ALICE principles in a healthcare setting, which unique factor must be incorporated into the planning process?
- Counter tactics are prohibited for all staff
- Healthcare workers are exempt from ALICE training requirements
- All patients must be evacuated immediately regardless of condition
- Non-ambulatory patients and restricted movement areas require adapted procedures (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Non-ambulatory patients and restricted movement areas require adapted procedures
Healthcare environments must adapt ALICE protocols to account for patients who cannot move independently, ICU units, and areas with medical equipment constraints.
Question 34: How does ALICE training benefit first responders arriving at an active shooter scene?
- It ensures civilians stay completely hidden, making the scene easier to clear
- It guarantees no civilian injuries before police arrive
- It removes the need for responders to communicate with survivors
- It means civilians may already be evacuating or countering, giving responders clearer situational intelligence (Correct answer)
Correct answer: It means civilians may already be evacuating or countering, giving responders clearer situational intelligence
When civilians are trained to act, responders can receive better information about the threat's location and fewer victims may be in harm's way.
Question 35: An organization that has completed ALICE certification wants to maintain active program status. Which ongoing requirement is most critical?
- Conducting regular drills and refresher training with updated materials (Correct answer)
- Repainting evacuation route signs
- Purchasing new equipment annually
- Filing annual reports with the Department of Education
Correct answer: Conducting regular drills and refresher training with updated materials
Maintaining ALICE program integrity requires regular practice drills and updated training to account for staff turnover, new threats, and refined best practices.
Question 36: In ALICE training, the Alert phase is described as the foundation of the response because:
- It is legally required before any other action can be taken
- It gives administrators time to evacuate first
- Without timely, accurate information, individuals cannot make informed response decisions (Correct answer)
- It triggers the automatic lockdown of all doors
Correct answer: Without timely, accurate information, individuals cannot make informed response decisions
The Alert phase provides the situational awareness that all subsequent ALICE response options (Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) depend upon.
Question 37: Which ALICE training module focuses on understanding the mindset and behavior of an active shooter?
- Threat Assessment Module
- Evacuation Planning Module
- Law Enforcement Coordination Module
- Survivor Mindset Module (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Survivor Mindset Module
The Survivor Mindset Module teaches participants about fight-or-flight responses and proactive thinking to increase survival odds.
Question 38: ALICE alert language is designed to be specific rather than coded because:
- Law enforcement prefers plain language on recordings
- Codes require expensive training programs
- Coded language is legally prohibited in schools
- Specific language reduces confusion and enables faster decision-making (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Specific language reduces confusion and enables faster decision-making
Coded alerts (e.g., 'Code Red') can be misunderstood or unknown to substitutes, visitors, and new staff, whereas specific language is universally clear.
Question 39: When applying situational awareness in ALICE, which sense is often the FIRST to detect an active threat in a school environment?
- Touch
- Hearing (Correct answer)
- Taste
- Smell
Correct answer: Hearing
Hearing is often the first sense to detect an active threat because sounds like gunshots, screaming, or unusual loud noises frequently precede visual confirmation.
Question 40: What communication method is preferred during a lockdown when phone calls are not safe to make?
- Sending silent text messages or using text-based emergency notification apps (Correct answer)
- Using the building intercom system to broadcast your location
- Shouting through the door to nearby rooms
- Banging on the walls in a pre-arranged pattern
Correct answer: Sending silent text messages or using text-based emergency notification apps
Silent text messages and emergency notification apps allow occupants to communicate location and status information without making noise that could attract a threat.
Question 41: How does ALICE training benefit businesses in terms of workforce continuity?
- It guarantees no employees are ever harmed in workplace incidents
- It shifts all safety responsibilities to building owners
- It replaces the need for business continuity plans
- It prepares employees to respond effectively, potentially reducing casualties and enabling faster return to operations (Correct answer)
Correct answer: It prepares employees to respond effectively, potentially reducing casualties and enabling faster return to operations
Fewer casualties and a practiced workforce mean businesses are better positioned to resume operations quickly after an incident.
Question 42: What distinguishes an ALICE Instructor from a standard ALICE-trained participant?
- Instructors are exempt from participating in drills
- Instructors must have prior military experience
- Instructors have completed additional pedagogy training and are authorized to deliver the ALICE curriculum to others (Correct answer)
- Instructors carry a badge authorizing them to lead law enforcement responses
Correct answer: Instructors have completed additional pedagogy training and are authorized to deliver the ALICE curriculum to others
The Instructor credential adds training-delivery skills on top of participant knowledge, authorizing the holder to formally teach ALICE to others.
Question 43: A threat scenario includes an individual who has entered a building with a weapon but has not yet fired. Occupants near an exit have a clear path to safety. Does ALICE recommend waiting to see if the threat fires before evacuating?
- No — but only security personnel can authorize the evacuation
- Yes — ALICE requires confirmation of violence before evacuation is justified
- Yes — only if the individual has not verbally threatened anyone
- No — ALICE empowers immediate action based on the presence of a credible threat, not on waiting for violence to begin (Correct answer)
Correct answer: No — ALICE empowers immediate action based on the presence of a credible threat, not on waiting for violence to begin
ALICE does not require violence to begin before action is taken; a credible perceived threat is sufficient justification to act immediately.
Question 44: After a building is cleared by law enforcement, what must happen before students and staff can return to normal operations?
- FEMA certification of the building as hazard-free
- A safety assessment and administrative decision, often involving mental health readiness (Correct answer)
- Automatic re-entry after 24 hours per federal regulation
- A community vote approving re-entry
Correct answer: A safety assessment and administrative decision, often involving mental health readiness
Return-to-normal decisions require an administrative and mental health readiness review; there is no automatic timeline mandated by federal law.
Question 45: When evacuating during a lockdown, what should individuals do with their hands as they approach law enforcement officers?
- Keep hands in pockets to protect them from cold or debris
- Carry any personal belongings in front of their body
- Raise hands above their head with fingers spread to show they are unarmed (Correct answer)
- Hold identification cards visibly in front of them
Correct answer: Raise hands above their head with fingers spread to show they are unarmed
Raising hands with fingers spread clearly signals to law enforcement that you are unarmed and not a threat, reducing the risk of being mistaken for the attacker.
Question 46: What is the recommended approach when a student receives conflicting instructions from different adults during an active threat?
- Follow the most recent Inform announcement from the official PA or alert system (Correct answer)
- Call a parent for guidance
- Follow the instructions of the person who seems most frightened
- Do whatever feels safest without listening to any adult
Correct answer: Follow the most recent Inform announcement from the official PA or alert system
The official PA or alert system provides the most current and authoritative information, which should take precedence over individual guidance.
Question 47: Why is it important that ALICE training include scenario variety rather than repeating the same drill script?
- Different scenarios develop flexible decision-making rather than rote memorization of a single response (Correct answer)
- Variety reduces the cost of training materials
- Variety makes it easier to pass the certification exam
- Repetitive drills are legally prohibited
Correct answer: Different scenarios develop flexible decision-making rather than rote memorization of a single response
Varied scenarios teach adaptive thinking, which is essential because real threats unfold unpredictably and may not match a rehearsed script.
Question 48: Which statement best describes the 'options-based' approach that distinguishes ALICE from older lockdown-only protocols?
- Everyone must follow one universal response regardless of circumstances
- Individuals are empowered to choose the best survival option based on situational context (Correct answer)
- The building's automated system dictates the response
- Only trained security staff make decisions during an event
Correct answer: Individuals are empowered to choose the best survival option based on situational context
ALICE's options-based philosophy empowers individuals to assess their specific situation and choose among Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, or Evacuate rather than following a rigid single response.
Question 49: What is the role of an ALICE Instructor in coordinating with local law enforcement?
- Avoid involving law enforcement to keep training confidential
- Only contact law enforcement after an actual incident
- Collaborate with local law enforcement to align ALICE protocols with law enforcement response plans and build mutual understanding (Correct answer)
- ALICE Instructors replace law enforcement planning entirely
Correct answer: Collaborate with local law enforcement to align ALICE protocols with law enforcement response plans and build mutual understanding
Coordination with law enforcement ensures ALICE protocols complement and do not conflict with official emergency response plans, improving overall safety outcomes.
Question 50: During a lockdown, why is it important to keep people away from doors and windows?
- To ensure equal spacing of people throughout the room
- To maintain clear pathways for first responders
- To avoid triggering fire suppression systems near the exits
- To prevent occupants from being seen or struck if the threat is near those entry points (Correct answer)
Correct answer: To prevent occupants from being seen or struck if the threat is near those entry points
Staying away from doors and windows reduces visibility and minimizes exposure if an attacker attempts to breach the room.
Question 51: Which statement about lockdown and students or staff with disabilities is most consistent with ALICE principles?
- Those with disabilities should always be evacuated first regardless of threat location
- Staff with disabilities are exempt from lockdown training requirements
- Pre-planned accommodations and buddy systems should be established so everyone can participate in lockdown procedures safely (Correct answer)
- Lockdown procedures apply only to fully mobile individuals
Correct answer: Pre-planned accommodations and buddy systems should be established so everyone can participate in lockdown procedures safely
ALICE recommends pre-planning accommodations and assigning buddies to ensure individuals with disabilities can execute lockdown or evacuation procedures effectively.
Question 52: Which of the following is an example of a proactive alert action encouraged by ALICE training?
- Waiting until the PA announcement before locking classroom doors
- Assembling in the hallway to await further instructions
- A student texting 911 with the shooter's location before an official alert is issued (Correct answer)
- Filing a written incident report after the threat has passed
Correct answer: A student texting 911 with the shooter's location before an official alert is issued
ALICE encourages proactive information sharing, including by students who contact 911 directly with real-time threat details before any official alert.
Question 53: An employee hears an announcement that there is an active threat in another building on campus. Which ALICE action is most appropriate initially?
- Counter the threat by moving toward the other building
- Immediately evacuate the building
- Lockdown in place while monitoring for updated information about the threat's location (Correct answer)
- Wait for a second announcement before taking any action
Correct answer: Lockdown in place while monitoring for updated information about the threat's location
When a threat is in a separate building, locking down while monitoring for updates is the safest initial response because the threat has not reached your location.
Question 54: What is a 'secondary traumatic stress' risk specifically associated with school staff during recovery operations?
- Physical injury from assisting students during evacuation
- Legal liability for not following lockdown protocols
- Emotional exhaustion from supporting traumatized students while processing their own trauma (Correct answer)
- Media pressure to speak publicly about the incident
Correct answer: Emotional exhaustion from supporting traumatized students while processing their own trauma
Staff must manage their own trauma responses while caring for students, creating compounded stress known as secondary or vicarious traumatization.
Question 55: How should ALICE Instructors address the Counter option with participants who are physically unable to engage in physical resistance?
- Tell participants with limitations that ALICE training does not apply to them
- Exclude those participants from the entire training
- Explain that Counter is one option among many and help participants identify other actions—such as distraction or evacuation—appropriate to their abilities (Correct answer)
- Require all participants to complete Counter exercises regardless of ability
Correct answer: Explain that Counter is one option among many and help participants identify other actions—such as distraction or evacuation—appropriate to their abilities
Counter is an option of last resort; instructors must help all participants identify the options that realistically apply to their capabilities and situation.
Question 56: What benefit does the ALICE 'Evacuate' option provide that a pure shelter-in-place policy does not?
- It automatically notifies police faster
- It requires less training time to implement
- It removes potential victims from the threat's proximity entirely (Correct answer)
- It prevents all legal liability for administrators
Correct answer: It removes potential victims from the threat's proximity entirely
Evacuating moves individuals away from the threat, whereas shelter-in-place keeps them in the building where danger exists.
Question 57: A student in a hallway hears a PA alert naming the threat's location as the gym. The student is near an exit on the opposite side of the building. How does ALICE Communication empower this student?
- The student must return to their last classroom regardless of the PA information
- The student should do nothing until a teacher tells them what to do
- The student should run toward the gym to verify the announcement
- The location information allows the student to judge that the exit is likely safe and choose to evacuate (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The location information allows the student to judge that the exit is likely safe and choose to evacuate
ALICE gives individuals the information and authority to make their own informed survival decisions rather than mandating a single response.
Question 58: When applying ALICE in a house of worship, which factor is most important to address in the adaptation of the evacuation component?
- Compliance with IRS nonprofit regulations
- Large open spaces, multiple exits, and congregation members unfamiliar with the layout (Correct answer)
- The denomination's theological stance on self-defense
- The building's historical landmark status
Correct answer: Large open spaces, multiple exits, and congregation members unfamiliar with the layout
Houses of worship often feature open sanctuaries, visitors unfamiliar with exits, and varied demographics including elderly and children, all requiring tailored evacuation planning.
Question 59: What is the best way for an ALICE Instructor to evaluate the effectiveness of a training session?
- Use post-training assessments, participant feedback surveys, and observable performance during scenario exercises (Correct answer)
- Check whether the training ran on schedule
- Count the number of participants who attended
- Evaluate effectiveness only if an actual incident occurs afterward
Correct answer: Use post-training assessments, participant feedback surveys, and observable performance during scenario exercises
Combining knowledge assessments, feedback surveys, and observed performance provides a comprehensive picture of what participants learned and what needs improvement.
Question 60: Why does ALICE training caution against using a single 'code word' as the only method of communicating a lockdown?
- If staff do not hear or recognize the code, they will not know a threat exists and cannot take action (Correct answer)
- Code words create panic faster than plain-language announcements
- Code words are prohibited under federal emergency management guidelines
- ALICE requires all announcements to be made in multiple languages
Correct answer: If staff do not hear or recognize the code, they will not know a threat exists and cannot take action
Relying solely on a code word means anyone unfamiliar with it or who misses the announcement will have no information and cannot act to protect themselves.
ALICE Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate Instructor Certification
The ALICE Instructor Certification exam tests mastery of active shooter and violent critical incident response strategies across all five ALICE components, along with instructor standards, legal/policy frameworks, and implementation best practices for training others.
Exam Rules
- You can skip questions and return to them later
- Flag questions for review before submitting
- No feedback shown until you submit the entire exam
- Unanswered questions count as wrong — answer everything
- 10 pretest questions are mixed in and don't affect your score
- Timer auto-submits when time runs out
- Your progress is auto-saved every 30 seconds