Creating a Generation of Safe Thinkers with Adam Coughran

Talking about some of the heavier aspects of school safety is not always a pleasant topic to discuss, but it is critical in today’s environment. People need to know how school districts approach educating and training students on maneuvering and, in worst-case scenarios, surviving violent school incidents. Adam Coughran, co-founder of Safer Kids, Inc., and developer of the H.E.R.O. (Hide, Escape, Run, Overcome) Program, spoke with Daniel J. Litwin on the foremost safety strategies for education.

Coughran used his extensive background in law enforcement, particularly the safety strategies and counseling skills he learned, to create Safer Kids, Inc., and develop the H.E.R.O. program. Coughran realized training educational professionals on how to handle an active-shooter event with the same methods as law enforcement wasn’t effective, and different approaches and skills were required to make a difference.

“How can kids understand this,” Coughran wondered. “How could professionals who were never in law enforcement or never in the military, how could they digest the information without scaring them, driving up anxiety, driving up trauma?” The desire to bridge that gap and create practical training tools led Coughran down the path to where he is today.

To create the right strategies and approaches to these school safety concerns, Coughran asked himself a question, “Could we talk to kids as young as kindergarten about this really scary topic, but do it in a way that wasn’t fearful?” Coughran and his team worked with experts in all areas, including educators, school psychologists and law enforcement, to make his plan work.

This two-year journey resulted in the H.E.R.O program. “We wanted simple, easy-to-understand language in words that you would hear in a classroom,” Coughran said. “We don’t use the word ‘fight.’ We use the word ‘overcome.’ The goal was to teach skills that could go beyond the classroom into the real world if needed.”

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

accounting career
How Shanice Scott Reinvented Her Accounting Career — And Found Her ‘Why’
October 15, 2025

The accounting pipeline is in flux. After years of decline in new graduates, the AICPA reported that bachelor’s completions fell 7.8% in 2021–22 and master’s fell 6.4%. In Fall 2024, undergraduate accounting enrollment rebounded by about 12%, while graduate enrollment continued to dip, underscoring a profession still recalibrating its talent model. For those building or…

Read More
Faherty
From Heritage to Hospitality: The Faherty Blueprint for Authentic, Community-Centered Branding
October 15, 2025

Great clothes may be where it starts, but today’s shoppers are looking for something more — a sense of connection, belonging, and shared purpose. Research shows that 90% of consumers value authenticity when deciding which brands to support: a clear reminder that while quality and design remain vital, meaning has become the new measure of loyalty….

Read More
Food-as-Medicine
The Gut Reset Revolution: How Food-as-Medicine Became the New Foundation for Wellness
October 15, 2025

Gut health has moved from fringe to front page, with consumers overwhelmed by protocols, powders, and “miracle” cleanses. As interest surges, so do questions about what actually works day to day—and why it matters now. One reason: an estimated 65% of the population is dairy intolerant, complicating popular bovine colostrum trends cited for immunity…

Read More
zero-emission
Driving Real Change: How ZM Trucks Is Building the Future of Zero-Emission Trucking
October 15, 2025

As the U.S. accelerates its push toward cleaner freight transport, policy and market forces are reshaping what’s possible in trucking. The EPA’s Phase 3 greenhouse gas emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles, finalized on March 29, 2024, establish stricter CO₂ limits for model years 2027 through 2032. The rule is technology-neutral and performance-based, allowing manufacturers…

Read More