Police Response at Arlington High School Identifies Safety Gaps

More than 100 first responders from 24 agencies descended upon Arlington High School in Dutchess County, New York this week.

The chaotic scene drew fire, EMS and police personnel from surrounding communities as well as the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. All of these trained first responders swarmed Arlington High School on Route 55 in Lagrangeville, New York in an effort to prepare for the threat of an active shooter.

Police Activity at Arlington High School in Lagrangeville, New York

The assemblage was a well-orchestrated effort to prepare and train emergency personnel on how to respond to a real-life active shooter situation. The mock school shooting featured actors pretending to sustain injuries, fake blood and very real emotions.

Photos released by Dutchess County officials show volunteers in bandages placed on gurneys, police tape surrounding bloody crime scenes and a mock shooter being handcuffed.

Mock Shooting Scene Highlights Strengths and Weaknesses

Officials say the active shooter drill tested the adeptness of first responders to quickly react and respond to the chaotic scene of a mass shooting. Response times, the ability to safely isolate victims and even the coordination of being able to release timely information to the public were all put to the test during the training exercise.

Evaluators were on hand to score the different agencies on their techniques and responses. Areas of improvement and gaps in response were all shared with the participants in a debriefing. The goal is to discover shortcomings that could impact performance in the event of an actual active shooter situation.

County Executive, Sue Serino, applauded the effort, saying that "preparation can be our greatest ally".