Marshall County Health Department and emergency response agencies are ensuring that staff know just how to handle an active shooter situation.
Officials will host an an active shooter exercise from noon to 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20 at the Health Department. The exercise will be an multi-agency event held in conjunction with the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department, Benton Police Department, Marshall County Emergency Management, Rescue Squad, Marshall County Hospital, EMS and Benton Fire Department. The training will simulate multi-discipline, multi-jurisdiction and multi-agency response to an active shooter situation. The event is designed to establish a learning environment for participants to carry out response plans, policies and procedures, according to an MCHD news release.
In addition, the exercise will offer an opportunity to implement multi-agency coordination among community partners to familiarize responders with their roles in planning, preparing for and responding to such an incident.
Areas surrounding the exercise will be clearly marked, and members of the public will not be allowed in or around the exercise area. Multiple police cars, fire trucks, ambulances and other emergency vehicles will respond to MCHD at 267 Slickback Road in Benton for the exercise. Surrounding businesses and motorists may notice these emergency vehicles beginning about noon, and they will remain on site for the duration of the exercise. The public is advised not to be alarmed.
This exercise comes in response to the increase in active shootings and recent tragic events. All agencies involved make it a priority to be as prepared as possible for an emergency such as active shooter, hostage or explosion. This type of exercise, when conducted on such a large scale, helps to simulate real-life events, and proves invaluable to local agencies and the public.