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Currey Ingram Academy

The Home Edit

Woodmont Christian Church

St. Mary's Epsicopal School

Christ Methodist Day School

Battle Ground Academy

Ensworth School

Father Ryan High School

Franklin Road Academy

Hastings Architecture

Saint Matthew School

Holy Rosary Academy

St. John Vianney Catholic School

David Skeen

St. Joseph School

Cindy Ligon

Rob Sentell

Corey Gephart

Kate Riley

John Revetti

Logan Lyman

Brian Sweatt

Ashley Cates

Keri Pagetta

Cal Brown

LTC, US Army Retired

Attended a church security event 28 Aug 24 in Huntsville, AL, taught by Gloria & Adam of Defend Systems. The the 5 hour program covered a broad spectrum of pertinent subjects taught in a “hands on” environment easily understood by the most inexperienced and new material for those of us who’ve “been there” in trauma situations. I’ve had other trauma training but these instructors employed techniques pertinent to situations we are likely to experience and in such manner that the information can be easily retained, including training aids and “personal engagement” exercises. My church security team came away with exceptionally valuable advice & techniques we plan to implement right away. Instructors were approachable, very willing to help, offer experienced, practical solutions tailored to our specific needs. Highly recommend for ALL church staff, teachers, nursery workers, etc. Best investment we’ve made in security and prevented waste by trusted recommendations based on real life situations going forward.

Sarah Wilson

Executive Director of TAIS

Our team had the privilege of attending a Defend Systems training. Defend has become a valuable partner to a number of TAIS schools, so we were honored for the chance to experience their work firsthand. Brink Fidler, president and founder of Defend Systems, opened the training by explaining his group’s core goals of engaging and empowering. They went on to guide us through education on real world scenarios ranging from situational awareness and self-defense to first aid. We were struck by their just-right blend of reverence for the subject matter and past tragedies with candor and appropriate humor. They really knew their audience.

Ricky Inman

Wayne County Schools

Quite possibly the best in-service we have ever had. I received more positive feedback from our teachers and staff than any other presentation for the past 10 years. Our students are safer this year!

Pam Parks

Leaving a Defend Systems training makes me more aware of my surroundings and gives me confidence that I can be an asset in an emergency. Their expertise, knowledge, and experience trained me to take appropriate action and not panic when faced with a threatening situation. Knowing that I could be a difference maker in a life or death situation is essential as a private school employee.  Brink and his teams are the best at showing you how to make that difference.

Toni Jacobson

Jewish Federation Society

Thank you for the opportunity to attend your training this week.  The training is like no other that I have attended, and I left feeling empowered.  Empowered that I had the knowledge on how to protect my own life in an active shooter situation and the knowledge to save lives afterwards with the medical training.

Kimber

I had to drop y’all a note of thanks and encouragement! You came to my school back in August during teacher training. A few weeks ago (now February), our fire alarm system had a malfunction and in the middle of our morning, it unexpectedly went off. Despite the fact that we hadn’t discussed it in months, we went into lockdown until we were given the override command to exit the building so that the firefighters could clear the building. (Full disclosure: not everything went perfectly school-wide, but the good news is this was the catalyst we needed to make clarifying protocol a priority.)

 

But here’s what you really need to know: From the moment the alarm went off until my classroom was fully locked down was less than 30 seconds. Everything you said and showed us that day clicked into place and I knew exactly what to do. But more importantly, I was completely calm, which meant my students were calm as well. It wasn’t scary. They weren’t traumatized. In the little world of my classroom, it literally could not have gone smoother/better, and I fully credit your distinct training style for that. 

 

The thing I kept saying over and over again was that I left your training empowered to make decisions. Our initial training years ago by local law enforcement left me afraid to make a “wrong” choice. By showing us what went right as well as what went wrong with previous incidents, you gave us a framework to build. 

 

What you do is *hard*. It’s physically and emotionally hard. So please know it’s worth it. You are indeed making a difference.

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Corey Gephart

CEO, St. Luke’s Community House

They made recommendations for building improvements, trained our staff on safety and medical response techniques, and helped us choose other vendors to make our organization safe. We could not have done this with just any consultant. I cannot recommend Defend Systems highly enough. If you are responsible for the safety and security of some of our most vulnerable people, you shouldn’t wait to call Defend Systems.

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Kate Riley

Head of School, Holy Trinity Montessori

Defend Systems was an amazing resource to our school, Holy Trinity Montessori, as we built and designed our new campus. They are extremely knowledgeable in their expertise of safety, school trauma and emergency awareness. In this day and age, schools must live in a very different time of awareness and safety and having Defend Systems as a resource has been invaluable.

As we designed our new campus, we looked at all issues of intrusion, school shooting and school emergencies. The team at Defend Systems was able to advise us in this journey as seen in our design process with the architecture firm. I would recommend Defend Systems and their expertise in any emergency situation consulting. We have enjoyed working with them and look forward to working with them in the future.

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Jennifer Potts

Human Resources Manager

As an employer, the safety and security of our employees is always top priority. With the most recent events involving armed assaults on businesses and schools, we believed it was of the upmost importance to prepare our team of employees for this type of horrific event. Our experience with Defend Systems and Brink Fidler was impeccable. Brink came out and personally did a walk through with me of our entire facility and we discussed areas of concern that could increase the possibilities of a breach in our building security. Brink shared with us what we were already doing right and what we could improve upon. Brink then prepared our training and came out to our facility to perform both classroom and live fire training.

Jeff Bixenman, Ed.D.

President, Goodpasture Christian School

Goodpasture Christian School (GCS) received outstanding security training from Defend Systems this past January and August. Multiple GCS teachers have expressed how impressed they were with the security training. The security training taught us how to handle an active shooter situation. The Defend Systems training was a great investment in improving school safety at GCS.

First Regional Library System Employee

I like that the speaker was so passionate when it came to Active Shooter Awareness Training. Although you could tell it was a difficult topic to discuss, the speaker remained informative and provided several opportunities for the participants to engage.

Laura Abernathy

Assistant Director, Belmont Day School

We are so appreciative of the exceptional education and training that our staff members received from Defend Systems. The training was informative and practical. Brink was able to look at our current safety plan and make suggestions and changes to make our space safer for our students, families and staff. We highly recommend Defend Systems!

Brandi

Anchor Academy

Our training with Defend Systems was incredibly impactful for our entire staff. We now feel equipped and prepared in securing and defending our sweet school if ever there was a need. We are so grateful for the knowledgeable, dynamic, and talented staff and the training they provide.

Sharon Conyers

Human Resources Manager, Special Kids Therapy & Nursing Center

The training provided to our staff was a good balance of knowledge and hands-on training. Our staff left the training feeling educated, prepared, and confident. The instructors were knowledgeable, and the entire presentation was very well done.

First Regional Library System Employee

I felt the training sessions were well needed to help us be prepared in a time of crisis with people getting injured and handling the presence of the shooter. I am much more informed of how to handle this situation if it was to happen at our library branch.

First Regional Library System Employee

Training was FABULOUS - very eye opening! Hoping changes to buildings goes smoothly. Company that gave training was awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First Regional Library System Employee

I found this session to be very informative, realistic and empathetic. This training was more in-depth than previous active shooter training I have experienced. I did not necessarily enjoy it. It is a hard subject. However, I am grateful we did it.

Lisa Cook Forster

Rutherford County School Teacher

Thank you RCS for providing this invaluable training for ALL RC school employees. I learned more in these 3 hours than in my 17 years working in the school system. Today was about what “we”-those IN the building-can do to save as many lives as possible in an active shooter event. We learned about the safest places to get out of the line of gunfire as well as lifesaving techniques to help those injured while waiting on EMTs, etc., to arrive. GREAT info!!!

Is it sad that this is needed.? Yes. Do laws need to be changed on many fronts? Yes. Can more training be done and other people trained that weren’t in these groups? Yes. We have no control over some of this and some of it takes time. But what was taught today can have an immediate impact and WILL save lives if we’re ever in a situation where it’s needed-in a school building or any public place.

THANK YOU Dr. Sullivan, Dr. Martin and Defend Systems for your vision and for investing in your employees and students!

 

Stephanie Sloan

Rutherford County School Teacher

This was the best training I have ever been to. Highly relative and informative! This type of specified training provides knowledge and empowerment.

Sean M. Corcoran

Head of School,
Brainerd Baptist School

We recently had Defend Systems on campus to train our entire faculty. In the past, we’ve relied on our local law enforcement for similar training sessions, but those often left our faculty with more questions and a sense of fear. Given the seriousness of the topic, many of our staff felt apprehensive when they saw it on the calendar.

However, our experience this time exceeded all expectations. For the first time, our faculty walked away from the training feeling empowered by what they had learned. Brink, Tracey, Gloria, and Adam did an outstanding job. They were not only informative and relatable but also managed to make the training engaging and enjoyable. We look forward to working with them again in the future.

Laura Goodhard, M.Ed., M.A.

Director of Student Life and Strategic Initiatives, Notre Dame High School

After our training with Defend Systems, our faculty and staff felt more confident in their abilities to serve our community in crisis situations. Many commented that it was the best professional development day they had experienced!

Amy James

Primrose Brentwood

We have worked with Brink and Defend systems for quite a few years, we find each training insightful, informative and empowering. We leave feeling prepared and confident for our school year. The team at Defend has always gone above and beyond for our teams during training and beyond.

Kristy D. Petty, Ed.D.

Principal, Lakeside Park Elementary

Defend Systems training should be mandatory for everyone- especially, those of us who work in the education profession. My entire staff felt more confident and prepared to handle catastrophic situations. I can’t say enough positive words regarding Defend Systems.

Spencer

Junior Achievement Nashville

Defend Systems’ training was outstanding, offering a comprehensive and highly effective approach to crisis management. Brink and his team delivered engaging and realistic scenarios, which greatly enhanced our team's preparedness and confidence. The training not only provided invaluable skills but also fostered a proactive mindset, ensuring that we are well-equipped to handle any emergency situation.

Jorge Garcia

I was lucky enough to be invited to audit one of the active shooter classes for a renowned school in Nashville. What an experience! The subject matter was insightful, well thought out, and expertly delivered without being terrifying. I feel that everyone, regardless of position, should participate in active shooter training. Sadly, this is our new “normal”, but you can be prepared to help in times of crisis. Thank you Brink and Team for all you do!

Carolyn Crowder

Executive Director, Oklahoma Education Association

The Oklahoma Education Association (OEA) recently had a Defend Systems training session for OEA staff and OEA members which included educators from various districts in Oklahoma. Usually, teachers and OEA staff whose jobs require them to give trainings on a regular basis, are a hard audience to impress. That was not the case this time. To a person, attendees told me it was the best training they had ever had. They were impressed with the important information given based on relevant research. They enjoyed Brink and Tracey’s training style and appreciative that the training included a hands-on portion. Participating in the hands-on portion allowed them to feel better prepared to face possible dangers from those that would threaten violence to our school environments.

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Karina Hammer

Executive Director, Bellevue Home School Enrichment & Tutorials

I highly recommend any business, school, church or private home to have Defend Systems do a walk through to see how you can improve the safety of your employees, congregation or family.

Brink walked through our church facility to see how we can keep our homeschool students safe during our one-day-per-week program. Then, he gave the tutors a training with practical strategies on how to prevent and respond to an active shooter situation.

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David Glascoe

Executive Director, Mary Queen of Angels, Assisted Living Community

Thanks so much for your excellent work which will help us provide better security for the residents and associates at Villa Maria Manor and Mary, Queen of Angels. I believe your approach to this challenge shows your experience and is unlike what we learned from other resources. You offered practical solutions that will help us convey that we are not a soft target. It feels good to be acting proactively to make it difficult for those who would do us harm. Great job!

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Kim Haley

Operations Manager, Renewal House

Defend Systems provided an exceptional training for our staff that was relevant to our facility and our specific needs. Renewal House provides specialized addiction treatment to women and their children in a campus environment. We learned many tips and techniques to prepare us for any situation. The site assessment helped us identify areas for improvement and the recommendations they provided are sound and completely attainable. We are grateful for the services they provided and look forward to a continued relationship.

Melinda Mahand

Academic Dean, Franklin Classical School

Defend Systems' exceptionally qualified leadership trained our faculty and staff in effective intruder response, including proven defensive strategies and life-saving triage methods. They examined school facilities and offered guidance specific to our building's location in town and to our school's individual classrooms. We're grateful for the knowledge and skill gained through Defend Systems' training, confident we are now far better able to care for our students and for each other.

Summer Stevens

Renewal House

Tracey and Brink were awesome to work with! The walkthrough they conducted of our properties was thorough and helpful in identifying areas of improvement. It is clear that they are passionate about the work they do and keeping their community safe. Our Renewal House staff feels more prepared to act in the case of an emergency after our training with Defend Systems. Thank you for everything!

First Regional Library System Employee

I felt it was very valuable information. The tourniquet portion wasn't fun, but it was useful and I'm glad that it was presented. I hope I never have to use the skills I learned, however I'm grateful to have increased my self-defense and medical knowledge.

First Regional Library System Employee

I have had first aid training but this was the first time someone trained me on how to address injuries to myself and with so much detail.

First Regional Library System Employee

I think the group who did this was great. I appreciated that they did not try to traumatize us but still focused on really having us be prepared for anything that comes our way.

Laura Sterm

Teacher, McMurray Middle School

I reached out to Defend Systems when my school system made it clear that school safety was not a top priority. Tracey, Brink and the rest of the team went above and beyond to provide an opportunity for individual teachers to get trained and prepare for the unthinkable. I and several of my coworkers walked away from the training feeling empowered and prepared. Thank you Defend Systems.

Deborah

Defend Systems provided exceptional training to prepare our church and preschool staff to respond in the event of a crisis. The information and instruction were outstanding, the site assessment provided practical information on ways to better secure our campus, and the hands-on training gave us practice implementing the instruction.  I recommend Defend Systems without reservation.

Dr. Jonathan Wilson

Head of School, The Edison School

Defend Systems trained the staff of Edison School TN and it was some of the best training I've been a part of in nearly 30 years as an educator. Every school leader needs to offer this training. Brink and Tracey were engaging, knowledgeable, and entertaining while talking about difficult things. I highly recommend Defend Systems and their training.

Jason Indorato

Director of Business and Operations, Episcopal School of Nashville

The DEFEND SYSTEMS training has proven to be an invaluable asset for our school, instilling in our faculty and staff a heightened awareness of potential threats and physical security risks. Throughout the program, participants were not only educated on threat recognition but also trained in effective response strategies. DEFEND SYSTEMS has been an exceptional partner to ESN, leaving our community of educators feeling empowered and significantly more prepared to keep themselves and our children safe. We cannot recommend this training enough.

Amy Van Wyk Gray

Rutherford County School Teacher

What I liked about today’s training was the insight. I never saw school shootings from any other perspective than the media coverage, my own research and scenarios I’ve played out in my mind about my own classroom. Today I learned about these attacks in way that after 28 years of teaching, I never have. My plan for such an event will forever be changed because of the factual information I learned today. Thank you Defend Systems for all your research and knowledge.

Brian Marcoulier

Senior Pastor, Calvary United Methodist Church

We sought Defend Systems for active shooter training for our staff and leaders. Their intentional and professional presence was exemplary and helped with the expected anxiety of the training. Our training with Defend Systems revealed our need for a more comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan. When we reached out to see if they could offer help, Gloria met us with a clear process, and a comprehensive plan was the incredible outcome! We are living into our Emergency Operations Plan today with greater intentionality and commitment because of their expertise and empowerment. We are grateful for their presence and partnership, and recommend them highly!

Logan Lyman

Director
Westminster School for Young Children

We invite Defend Systems into our school every year because I profoundly believe this is the most comprehensive, empowering security training available.  My staff leaves each training with strategies and skills that give them the peace of mind to focus on their work of nurturing young children, understanding that we have an actionable plan in place in the event of a crisis. The investment in training pays dividends in the safety of our school community.

Ashley Draper

Project Manager, Gluck Orthodontics

The training that Brink and the Defend Systems Team provided has been instrumental in preparing our team for the unimaginable, and equipped us with crucial skills to enhance our safety and response in a crisis. They boosted our level of confidence and readiness to be able to act swiftly and effectively in order to protect ourselves and others. This training is something that every business should invest in.

Holly Cunningham

Intown Church, Atlanta, GA

We recently had Defend Systems provide active shooter training to our school and church staff. The training was excellent and has made us better prepared for an emergency on campus. The training was informative but also provided practical application and hands-on training, making the staff more confident in our abilities. Working with Defend Systems feels like a partnership. They go the extra step, share knowledge and experience and provide additional resources to make sure that we are prepared.

Amy James

Franchise Owner, Primrose School

We used Defend Systems for training for all 3 of our Private Preschools in Nashville. Their training was informative and engaging. We left feeling empowered and knowledgeable about how to keep the children we care for safe! We plan to make their training a yearly addition to our schools!

Sarah Huckabay, BSN, RN

Lakeside Park Elementary

Defend System's training not only helped me feel better prepared to respond efficiently in my school setting, but also in my community. Acts of violence can occur anywhere, and I feel that I have the necessary training and skills to not only defend myself but also keep others around me safe.

Cindy Harris

Title 1 Teacher, Lakeside Park Elementary School

The need for awareness and preparation for an active shooter situation is a reality in schools and elsewhere. Defend Systems' Active Shooter Training gave our school staff exposure, knowledge, and training in what to expect and what to do in an emergency. Defend Systems' training is different because it gives participants an inside look at real-life attacks, and concrete ways to minimize loss of life during and after an attack, including hands-on practice. The training empowered us with techniques that we can apply at home, school, or in public, and the mentality not only to survive but to step up and "do something" that could save lives.

Jerrica Mayo

K-12 Safe Schools Supervisor, Sumner County Schools

Empowered. Is how I felt after attending a Defend Systems training. I have since had the opportunity to participate in their training on a small and large scale and the importance and impact cannot be denied. I am eager for the upcoming trainings for Sumner County schools. We are excited for the valuable knowledge, skillsets and confidence that will be instilled into our employees. For that I will be forever grateful for Tracey and Brink.

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Cindy Ligon

Director of Early Childhood Education, McKendree United Methodist Church, Nashville, TN

As the director of an early childhood program, health and safety is a high priority, especially given America’s gun violence epidemic. We are grateful for the work of Brink Fidler and Defend Systems. They assessed our existing emergency plan and gave us thoughtful recommendations for security upgrades. 

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Melanie Anderson

Director of Education, High Hopes Development Center

Defend Systems has been invaluable to our organization. They helped us identify security issues and consulted with us on how to create and implement (if ever necessary) an emergency plan that keeps everyone as safe as possible. When we began planning our move to our current facility, they helped us by identifying areas that needed to be more secure and suggested ways to make it happen. They not only consulted with us, but also provided training for staff members. 

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Amelia Baldwin

Chief Operating Officer, Onsite Workshops

We appreciate and admire Brink Fidler and “Defend Systems” passion and commitment to providing the training and “action planning” to our company that is so necessary and relevant to today’s world. Not only did they provide a customized, site specific, emergency response protocol, as well as emergency medical response training, but also referred and collaborated with other resources to provide additional physical security analysis and enhanced safety measures. In addition to the excellent training and security enhancements, we were also provided “in-house” training materials for new staff members. Thanks Brink and the “Defend Systems” team for your expertise and professional security services!

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Virginia Schmidt

VP of Human Resources JPW Industries, Inc.

If you are looking for a company that can help you and your employees to prepare for the unthinkable…………. an armed shooter in your facility, look no further. Defend Systems is that company.

Brink Fidler met with our management to explain what core methods of training and education that Defend Systems provides. Brink conducted a thorough walk through of our facility both office and warehouse to identify areas of concern or vulnerability. He provided corrective suggestions and praised us for the safety measures that were already in place.

Dr. Bryan Williams

Head of School, Christ Methodist Day School

Christ Methodist Day School is beyond grateful for the services provided by Defend Systems. They helped us greatly in evaluating the safety of our campus and provided us with practical ways to improve our security. The training that they provided to our entire staff of over 150 individuals was thorough and very empowering.

Tiffany

Holly Street Daycare

We had training with Defend Systems for our childcare center and while we were sad that it was necessary we were glad we chose to be prepared in an active shooter situation. I feel we are more equipped in our classrooms as well as in the public with how to respond and help those who may be injured. I would recommend this training to everyone.

First Regional Library System Employee

The presenters managed to handle this extremely difficult topic in a way that conveyed appropriate seriousness without being gratuitous or traumatizing. The information provided was concrete, usable, and backed by evidence.

First Regional Library System Employee

I can't say I enjoyed it, but it was probably the most informative training I have attended. The speaker had my attention and I really learned some things. I shared a lot of the information with my family as well.

First Regional Library System Employee

Intense training, but very eye-opening. I understand how to be more aware of my surroundings, and how to have a chance at saving my life and the life of others if this should happen, not only here, but other locations as well. The first aid training was very valuable, as I had not had that training at all prior. I feel the Defend team was very knowledgeable and they presented the information very well.

First Regional Library System Employee

It was very informative and made me think about things I never would have thought of. For example it got me to thinking about where the hard corners are in every room in the library I work in.

Colleen Curran

Tusculum Church Child Care

Defend Systems hosted a wonderful training for myself, the preschool staff and some church members. We could not have asked for a better experience. I can speak for everyone when I say that we feel safer, more prepared and confident in what we were taught. The time they took to look over our campus, answer questions, give pointers on top of the class itself is so appreciated. This training is a must in my eyes.

John Z.

Atlanta Westside Presbyterian Church

Highly recommend Brink and the rest of the Defend Systems team for any organization considering a security assessment or training. The team is highly professional, well researched and brings a deep level of expertise. Despite the challenging topic, they were also compassionate and built strong rapport with our congregation during the training. Would recommend them without reservation to anyone considering.

Mary Lane

Facilities Manager, National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)

We hired Defend Systems to conduct our Active Shooter and Bleed Control training. Both Brink and Tracey were engaging, informative and very knowledgeable about how to react and defend ourselves should we ever be in that situation. The session was interactive and taught us valuable moves and techniques to prepare for and defend in a life threatening event. They toured our space prior to the training and gave us key vulnerabilities that we have since addressed. I cannot say enough great things about this training. I highly recommend Defend Systems and we look forward to working with them again in the future.

Amanda Kay Reedy Carroll

Rutherford County School Teacher

I’ve been in this county for 10 years, and this was the best training I’ve ever been to!

It was incredibly informative, and even though really intense and difficult at times, I left feeling more prepared than I ever have.

Raquel Pennington

Rutherford County School Teacher

What an amazing job. I learned so much! I now have a mental plan and will not fail myself or our kids. It gave us a confidence beyond I thought possible. Ty to our speakers who had to relive horrible experiences but sacrificed themselves to make our staff and teachers aware of our capabilities.

DSWhite

(615) 236-6484
info@defendsystems.com
PO Box 726 Brentwood, TN 37024

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