Police, Sheriff's Department and Junction City firefighter personnel participated in an exercise at Junction City High School Wednesday. It was labeled a post incident rescue response training exercise.
Capt. Justin Stopper, Geary County SO, said they reviewed how to provide medical and emergency personnel to help possible victims of a mass casualty event within minutes of that occurring. He noted preparations for the training exercise have been under way with the school district for a long time. "Something we noticed that's been lacking, something we could provide so that everybody's on the same page when it comes to a response to a mass casualty or active shooter."
The exercise was planned for a three-day period, and by the end more than 100 first responders in the county will have received training.
This particular form isn't just the initial response, said Stopper. "That should be handled by whoever's here and everybody has had the active shooter training to where you go, and you actually engage, neutralize the threat, anything like that. This is more the minutes and seconds following that because minutes matter. " The goal of the training was to get law enforcement and medical services provided inside the building while you're waiting for additional help.
Scott Popovich, USD 475 Security Center Manager, said the exercise involved multi-agency training within Geary County. "So it's all Geary County first responders coming into a building where they could have to do this real world, so it's giving them experience they could have to do that in." Popovich added that the training exercise helps the District feel safer. "By doing this they're learning how to save lives quicker."