Preparing to counter the unknown is key to military success and public safety; active shooter trainings are one aspect of readiness.
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall and Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region and the U.S. Army Military District of Washington tested emergency response capabilities during an exercise held on Fort Lesley J. McNair Dec. 8.
The exercise tested the command’s ability to react to an active shooter and emergency response capabilities.
“The exercise is divided into two portions,” said Kevin Hanke, JFHQ-NCR/USAMDW chief of emergency management. “There’s an internal response exercise or a ‘lockdown’ portion of all the facilities on Fort McNair. The intent is that we close them down so that law enforcement is not impeded with the response and that we protect the population by locking the buildings.”
A mass notification message was provided through desktops and public announcement speakers positioned throughout Fort McNair to notify everyone on post to initiate the exercise lockdown.
During the second portion of the exercise, law enforcement and security personnel actively responded to a simulated scenario with a primary goal to protect innocent lives by focusing on finding and neutralizing the active shooter(s).
“Our plan is to validate our checklist, reinforce the training, and to find any gaps in both of those things,” Hanke said. “Are we providing the right information to the population or are we not, have we provided them the right tools or not, and do they know what to do? If you hear gunshots, notify somebody. Run. If you can’t run, then hide. If you can’t, hide and you’re face to face with the threat, then fight. That’s pretty simple. Those are the options.”
For more information on how to prepare for, stay safe and assist others during an active shooter situation, please visit https://www.ready.gov/public-spaces
Preparing to counter the unknown is key to military success and public safety; active shooter trainings are one aspect of readiness.
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall and Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region and the U.S. Army Military District of Washington tested emergency response capabilities during an exercise held on Fort Lesley J. McNair Dec. 8.
The exercise tested the command’s ability to react to an active shooter and emergency response capabilities.
“The exercise is divided into two portions,” said Kevin Hanke, JFHQ-NCR/USAMDW chief of emergency management. “There’s an internal response exercise or a ‘lockdown’ portion of all the facilities on Fort McNair. The intent is that we close them down so that law enforcement is not impeded with the response and that we protect the population by locking the buildings.”
A mass notification message was provided through desktops and public announcement speakers positioned throughout Fort McNair to notify everyone on post to initiate the exercise lockdown.
During the second portion of the exercise, law enforcement and security personnel actively responded to a simulated scenario with a primary goal to protect innocent lives by focusing on finding and neutralizing the active shooter(s).
“Our plan is to validate our checklist, reinforce the training, and to find any gaps in both of those things,” Hanke said. “Are we providing the right information to the population or are we not, have we provided them the right tools or not, and do they know what to do? If you hear gunshots, notify somebody. Run. If you can’t run, then hide. If you can’t, hide and you’re face to face with the threat, then fight. That’s pretty simple. Those are the options.”
For more information on how to prepare for, stay safe and assist others during an active shooter situation, please visit https://www.ready.gov/public-spaces.
This article originally ran in the Pentagram on December 17, 2020.
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