GEORGETOWN, Ky. (LEX 18) — In a few weeks, kids will be filing back into the classroom for the start of a new school year.
Ahead of a fresh term beginning, some first responders went back to school themselves for some important lessons.
Great Crossing High School played host Monday to the Georgetown Police Department's active shooter training.
We do this every year, except for 2020 because of the COVID year. We’re back to being able to train in our schools," Georgetown Assistant Chief Darin Allgood said.
Officers spent the day going through a series of simulations to prepare them for different active shooter situations.
Some of the drills were more basic, as Assistant Chief Allgood explains, such as an unarmed shooter where officers focus on clearing rooms of civilians.
However, these scenarios progressively became more complex for officers to handle.
“Some of our role players leaving or running down the hall giving you indicators the shooter is up this hallway or they heard gunfire in this direction," Assistant Chief Allgood said.
"Just to keep the officers fresh in their mind the stress they have to go through just to make sure they know this is something that could happen.”
The role players in these drills are made up of staff with Georgetown PD and members of the community.
A few of the volunteers shared their thoughts on what it was like to play the part of someone trapped or held hostage by an active shooter.
“Hearing the real shots and everything. Pretending that it’s really because unfortunately it could happen. I feel honored to be able to help them in their training," Anna Calvert said.
“Didn’t know what to expect but really appreciate the comments I’m hearing from the sergeant that’s leading this exercise is ‘guys you’re doing it right,'" Richard King.
“The expression I heard was sweat during practice, bleed less during action. So that’s good for me," Larry Silverman said.
