CLEAR FORK, WV (LOOTPRESS) – On Friday morning, various divisions of Wyoming County emergency services participated in an active crisis demonstration with the students of Westside High School.
There have been several instances in the past of these entities coming together to educate students on adequate assessment of emergency situations. The schools’ recurring “prom promise” dramatization, which depicts a motor vehicle accident, looks to educate students on the dangers of operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
Friday’s exercise presented a different scenario, however. The exercise in question was a drill on protocol in the event of an active shooter targeting the school.
The demonstration, complete with faux blood and a number of props, provided valuable insight into the process of dealing with situations of this type from the perspective of both the students and emergency responders.
“Today we had the opportunity to participate in the Active Shooter Training at Westside High School. Overall, the training was a success,” read a statement from the Oceana Fire Department. “We found areas for improvement, areas we were proficient in, and each of our firefighters, EMTs, and Paramedics are taking extra steps to ensure if a situation like this would ever occur, we will be prepared. It was a great experience for all of our members.”
In addition to the Oceana Fire Department, the training was conducted in conjunction with several other local agencies, including Stat EMS of West Virginia, Jan-Care Ambulance Service, Wyoming County 911/Office of Emergency Services, the Wyoming County Sheriff’s Office, and Air Evac 85 of Logan, WV.
The drill was announced in advance by both the Oceana Fire Department and the Wyoming County Board of Education, in hopes of alleviating any concerns that may have arisen from the presence of multiple emergency vehicles on the school’s grounds.
In concluding its statement regarding the drill, the Oceana Fire Department stated, “The students were beyond great. We hope to take what we have learned from this and train again one day.”
