JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- The 673d Security Forces Squadron held an active-shooter exercise at the 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron group building March 13.
The exercise is part of an ongoing initiative of unannounced drills designed to test agencies all around base in responding to an irate gunman with little to no warning.
“We are conducting active-shooter exercises as an assessment to see how everyone is doing for their training on run, fight or hide mentalities,” said Air Force Staff Sgt. Richard Robbins, 673d Security Forces Squadron noncommissioned officer in charge of training.
Because an active-shooter crisis could happen at any time, service members should always be prepared to handle such a situation should it arise.
“We’ve trained active shooter trainers in each unit so it's their responsibility to get with their people and make sure everyone’s up to speed,” Robbins said. “We’ll come and do a no-notice inspection at least once a year to make sure everyone’s on the same page.”
The exercises are readiness assessments designed to identify mistakes in both the security forces personnel and individual base agencies. The SFS training team then corrects the mistakes so that when it happens for real, lives can be saved, Robbins said.
“We’re doing every building, every unit,” Robbins said. “If someone’s working in their building, they need to know all the escape routes and how to barricade their doors if possible.”