CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (CLARKSVILLENOW) Active shooter events have become an unfortunate part of our society. The Valentine’s Day shooting in Florida that left 17 people dead is reported to be the 18th shooting in a U.S. school this year.

The Better Business Bureau of Middle Tennessee & Southern Kentucky and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office have joined forces to organize a workshop to help people learn lifesaving techniques to survive an active shooter situation.

The workshop is called C.R.A.S.E., Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events, and is scheduled for Tuesday, March 13 from 9-11 a.m. at the Pinnacle Family Entertainment Center, 430 Warfield Blvd. in Clarksville.

The workshop is in response to many local requests for active shooter training, according to Sandra Brandon, Public Information Officer for the sheriff’s office.

“The way the world is nowadays you can be in any situation whether it’s at church, at school, shopping or at the movies and can be a victim of that situation so what we encourage citizens to do is to take this workshop and learn some things that you can do to defend yourself,” Brandon said.

The C.R.A.S.E. classes will instruct the AVOID, DENY, and DEFEND method and give strategies, guidance and a proven plan for an active shooter event. Topics covered will include the history and prevalence of incidents, response options, medical issues and conducting drills.

According to the FBI, 80% of active shooter incidents occur in the workplace.

The workshop is open to all area businesses, daycares, hospitals, schools, churches, organizations and nonprofits. Instructors for the he workshop will be three active shooter training deputies with the sheriff’s office.

Melanie Thompson, Regional Vice President with the BBB talked about the importance of taking the C.R.A.S.E. class.

“Some of the biggest mistakes organizations make is thinking it wouldn’t happen here. We have good security, people know what to do or this will cost too much,” Thompson said.

To register for the free C.R.A.S.E. class, Tuesday, March 13 at the Pinnacle Family Entertainment Center, email Melanie Thompson at the Better Business Bureau, mthompson@gobbb.org or call 931-503-2210.