A School Counselor’s Take on Lockdowns and Emotional Distress
In the past few years the number of lockdowns, caused by gun violence or threats of gun violence, has increased. The years of viewing schools as a “safe haven” and a place where children are sheltered from the chaos of the world, seem to be long gone. There has been […]
Marjory Stoneman Douglas- 1 Year Later
Honoring Marjory Stoneman Douglas Victims One year ago on February 14th, 2018 the tragedy that took 17 innocent lives occurred at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High school in Parkland, Florida. This tragedy shook the south Florida community because so many of us were affected either directly or indirectly. This day, which was also […]
Press Release: Marjory Stoneman Douglas Charity Golf Tournament
Marjory Stoneman Douglas Charity Golf Tournament Coral Springs, Florida. February 5th, 2019- On February, 23rd, 2019, the organization Mobilizing MSD Alumni, will host the 2nd Annual Marjory Stoneman Douglas Charity Golf Tournament. This tournament started shortly after the mass shooting tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that took place […]
Press Release: Guardian Defense Owners Named SCORE Entrepreneur of The Year
Guardian Defense Owners Named SCORE Entrepreneur of the Year Delray Beach, Florida. January 4th, 2019 – Guardian Defense founders, Steven Smith and Taylor Smith, were awarded a prestigious honor for the 2018/2019 year. Score Mentors of South Palm Beach County presented the SCORE Entrepreneur of the Year award […]
Active Threat Safety and Preparedness- RIMS Podcast
President and Founder of Guardian Defense, Steve Smith and one the lead instructors for the company, Dustin Miller traveled to New York to train the Risk Management Society. After the training, they were able to share their knowledge and insight on Active Threat Safety and Preparedness in this podcast hosted […]
Active-Threat Training Offered to Florida Churches, Ministries- The Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church
The thought alone remains chilling for Rev. Jeff Smith, pastor at the First United Methodist Church of Clewiston. I never dreamed we’d be doing something like this,’’ he said. “When I went to seminary, we never had a class that addressed this.’’ But he quickly added, “This world has changed. […]
Guardian Defense Provides Active Shooter Training for Local Businesses – Boca Newspaper
Steve Smith has responded to several mass shootings as a SWAT team member of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. Now, he is training local business owners and school administrators and staff on how to be the first responders if an active shooter enters their place of business.
An Alarming Trend: Social Media Threats of Violence
Communities and schools across the country have been combating an alarming new trend: a dramatic rise in social media threats of school violence. This pattern has intensified in South Florida following the Parkland tragedy. In one South Florida community, four students were arrested in a single week for making threats […]
Press Release: School Safety in Boca Raton – Seeking Active Shooter Training
School Safety In Boca Raton – Schools Seek Active Shooter Training Boca Raton, Florida. September 25, 2018 – With school back in session, school safety in Boca Raton is a major focus for local schools. Boca Raton schools are expanding their focus of safety plans to include active […]
Q&A: School Shooter Preparedness – Risk Management Monitor
Schools across the country are back in session. And in the wake of high-profile school shootings earlier this year, safety is a top priority for students, parents, educators and communities. Steven Smith, founder and president of Guardian Defense, specializes in active school shooter preparedness and works with education industry leaders […]
How to Barricade a Door – The New York Times
“How a door opens dictates how you’re going to barricade it,” says Steven Smith, who is a leader of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department’s SWAT team and moonlights training teachers, businesses and city workers how to defend against hostile intruders. For a door that opens out, build a wall by […]
FBI Report: Active Shooter Incidents in 2017 – Guardian Defense’s Takeaways
We recently examined reports on Active Shooter Statistics, between 2000-2016, and concluded that the number of active shooter incidents has risen significantly over the years. Shortly thereafter, the FBI published a new report on the statistics for active shooter incidents in 2016 and 2017. Here’s our takeaways from this report.