The Aberdeen Proving Ground Police Department together with Team Command, Control Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) conducted an active shooter training simulation in conjunction with the Joint Users Interoperability Training Exercise (JUICE) on June 10, 2014 at APG.
At approximately 10 a.m. a simulated active shooter burst through an unsecured door of Building 6009 on the C4ISR Center of Excellence campus and opened fire moving throughout the building.
The Communications-Electronics Command's Software Engineering Center (SEC) employees and others in the area, who had prior notification of the exercise, took cover and ran for the exits.
The simulated active shooter took Joe Fisher of SEC's Communications Directorate and another unnamedemployee hostage. Once the workforce had cleared the area and hostages were reported, the second phase of the exercise began with APG Police Department's Special Response Team (SRT) arriving on scene. The SRTquickly entered the building and ensured remaining areas were secure and began evaluation of the hostage situation. The SRT, in coordination with follow-on Federal Bureau of Investigation support, concluded the exercise's second phase after securing release of the two hostages.
Following the exercise, an after action review for all participants was conducted to assess what went well, areas that could be improved upon and lessons learned:
• Due to the size of some of the C4ISR Campus buildings, and the noise inside of them, it may be difficult tot hear or be aware of an incident that has already occurred. In fact, sometimes a shooter can get quite close before you will be able to ascertain that they are a shooter.
• When you become aware of an active shooting incident, take cover. Then, when possible, move quickly out of the area at the first possible opportunity. Assuming it is possible, always evacuate during an active shooter event.
• Remember it is important to always know where your nearest exits are. You should always know at least two ways to exit or escape your building.
• If you are able and if it is practicable, call 911 and alert authorities of the existence of an active shooter incident. Only do so when it is safe.
• Move quickly when evacuating. Any marksman can tell you that moving targets are harder to hit, so move quickly, but safely. Remember to stay behind cover or a barrier as much as possible.
• It may not be safe to run across open areas to get away from a building. It may be necessary to seek cover outside, but near the building you evacuated. Think about where you could hide if necessary.
• An active shooter incident is not like a fire drill or actual fire. Movequickly but safely and do not congregate at pre-designated rally points or in the parking lot. Being in large groups and bunching-up makes easier targets for the active shooter. Hanging around the parking lot could make you an easy target for a sniper. Therefore, stay in cover even once you have cleared the immediate area of an active shooter event.
Active shooter simulation exercises help enhance readiness and ensure that everyone is as prepared as possible.. Active shooter events can happen at any time and there is often no pattern or selection of victims.
For additional information, please watch the instructional video Run, Hide and Fight here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VcSwejU2D04f63ace0c8a003b590b124b538ea3a341329cead2c5b6abab05a45ba14e75d2dd223efe14a85cf5d8ec7a14e13e5991590f5385dc92e385b81ec91381c3c3847feature=kp
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