The Susanville Police Department will be conducting a full-scale multi-agency training exercise Monday, August 4th, on the Lassen High School campus. The training, which according to Police Chief Tom Downing will simulate an active assailant incident similar to a school shooting, will close down the high school’s campus on Main Street beginning at around 8:00a.m. and should end no later than 4:00p.m.
“The purpose of this training exercise is to promote preparedness in the event of the need for a complex, multi-agency, response to a dynamic and tragic situation like a school shooting,” said Chief Downing. “The need to be prepared to respond with allied law enforcement agencies, as well as other first responders, and private sector partners to a realistic multifaceted scenario is critical. Training with our partners and then assessing our strategies and actions to improve upon our overall response is the very definition of preparedness.”
During the training exercise all streets and businesses in the area will remain open and unimpeded, however, only authorized personnel will be allowed to attend or participate in the training.
“Due to the sensitive nature of the training, and for the safety of all,” said Downing, “this training will not be open for public observation.”
In the event of an actual emergency…
Downing explained that in the event of an actual emergency of this nature parents will be instructed on where to respond to receive information and how to be reunited with their children, “Responding to the school most likely would not be the best option and would only interfere with public safety operations.”
The law enforcement partners, in coordination with school officials, would use their mass notification capabilities to notify parents with instructions. Downing encourages parents to update contact information with school officials on a regular basis.
The Susanville Police Department is conducting the training exercise in partnership with several local agencies including; Lassen High School District, Susanville School District, Lassen County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Susanville Fire Department, CalFire, SEMSA, Banner Lassen Medical Center, Mountain Life Flight and Lassen County Public Health.
