Riley County Police Officers talk before starting the exercise
The Riley county Police Department and emergency personnel from the Manhattan Fire Department and Riley County EMS conducted a joint exercise for an active shooter.
The training focused on the three departments working and communicating with each other during this kind of situation.
“The first part of the response will be Riley County Police Department coming in and stopping the shooter,” said RCPD Public Information Officer Alex Robinson,” the rest of the drill will be us responding with fire and EMS.
The scenario is an active shooter in a school and each department had their role. Robinson said all the departments have had some training before the exercise to better prepare.He also said they are all working together to make sure that if there is a situation like this they are prepared for it.
Officer with the “active shooter”
USD 383 teachers were also involved in the exercise both participating and watching. Robinson said they are watching to see what their tactics look like and to better help them understand their roles during this kind of situation.
USD 383 Director of Communications and School Safety Michele Jones says she invited teachers to see the exercise.
“It really gives our school staff an opportunity to see what it’s like working with the other responding agencies,” said Jones,”it creates a realistic situation for them.”
Along with teachers and staff, district students also participated in the drill. USD 383 student Eadon Marstall was outfitted with fake gunshot wounds to help EMS tend to wounds they might see during a real life situation.
“We have to go hide in classrooms, call for help and not tell them where are wounds are, they have to find that out themselves,” said Marstall.
This was the second of three days for this exercise. RCPD, EMS and the MFD will all return to the school tomorrow for their last day of training. There will be another exercise next year on July 18th. You can check out more photos from the event below.
