Active-shooter training at SJHS brings together multiple area police, fire agencies

SAN JACINTO VALLEY — Rather than cause fear or speculation, the recent sounds of simulated gunfire and sight of dozens of law enforcement officers, firefighters and paramedics from agencies across the San Jacinto Valley and beyond at an area high school brought applause from around the community when valley first responders came together for a large-scale, multi-agency and multi-jurisdictional, active-shooter training exercise.

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San Jacinto Unified School District and the San Jacinto Police Department hosted the day of training at San Jacinto High School, Thursday, Jan. 4. The training was co-presented by Riverside County Sheriff’s and Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Departments and the training day did not interfere with normal school operations, as students were still off enjoying their Winter break.

The event was not only a chance for officials from multiple area law enforcement and fire agencies to train together, it was also an opportunity for emergency first responders to demonstrate to district administrators, faculty members and other school staff what they could expect to see during a potential school crisis to better prepare them for an actual event.

Deputies from the Hemet Sheriff’s and San Jacinto Police Stations as well as representatives from several other local allied agencies participated in the event, as did firefighters, paramedics and medics from several area fire stations and agencies.

Students from the high school’s theater program and explorers from the Hemet Sheriff’s Station and San Jacinto Police Department helped during the day’s activity, manning posts, answering questions and donning special effects make up to simulate gunshot or other wounds.

Members assigned to the Sheriff’s Hazardous Device Team or Bomb Squad were also on hand and had set up static displays and answered questions throughout the day’s activities.

During the training all participating emergency first responders wore full tactical gear including Kevlar helmets and carried Air Soft weapons and other simulated firearms while running through different scenarios set up within the school. The different scenarios were intended to instruct participants how to respond to various school-related situations.

Some of the exercises followed scenarios of reported or suspected school shootings while others simulated actual in-progress school shootings, some with multiple victims down at the scene.

Throughout the training, Sheriff’s instructors fired blank rounds to simulate gunfire and add realism to the training and student actors from the school’s theater department huddled in room corners and hid in bathrooms, many with bloody-looking simulated wounds.

As the day wore on, law enforcement officers could be seen taking turns “responding” to various “911 reports” requiring different types of tactical responses. During some scenarios, officers could be seen racing onto the campus towards the sounds of simulated gunfire. During other scenarios officers could be seen methodically searching the school grounds with their simulated weapons drawn.

At times officers could be seen leading “crying” and “distraught” actors to safety while firefighters and tactical rescue personnel with armed law enforcement escorts were observed carrying “bloody” and “injured” students to a triage area complete with color-designated triage tarps.

After every scenario, participants de-briefed with team leaders and instructors, round-tabling ideas how to better improve their response and effectiveness, while discussing potential problems as well as possible solutions.

The day after the event James Stoeffer, who lives in San Jacinto and stopped by the school with his two school-age children after he spotted all the activity, said he was “very happy” to see local agencies training for “a worst-case scenario type of event.”

“I think it’s great,” Stoeffer explained. “Both my children attend schools here and while I hope something like a school shooting never happens in our community, it makes me feel better knowing our cops and other responders know how to respond.”

“Sitting in a class and being told how to respond to a crisis is one thing,” Stoeffer continued, “But actually putting on all that equipment and running through the drills is something altogether different. I’ve got nothing but respect for anyone willing to protect our children – especially those willing to potentially run into the line of fire.”

For more information about school-related emergency and disaster preparedness visit Riverside County Office of Education’s website. Additional information can be found on Hemet Unified School District‘s or San Jacinto Unified School District‘s websites.

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, who recently moved from Riverside County to Shasta County, runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.