NC Oklahoma News

On Tuesday, January 3, 2023, members of the Kay County Sheriff’s Office participated in a multi-agency emergency drill for a response to an active school threat at Newkirk Middle School. The event was hosted by Newkirk Police and Fire Departments and involved over 60 public safety personnel. Law enforcement officers and first responders from many agencies attended the training, including: Newkirk Police Department, Newkirk Fire Department,  Kay County Sheriff’s Office, Ark City Police Department, Ark City Fire Department, Ponca City Police Department, Ponca City Fire Department, Blackwell Police Department, Blackwell Fire Department, Tonkawa Police Department, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics (OBN,) Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI,) District 8 Drug Task Force, Kildare Volunteer Fire Department and River Road Volunteer Fire Department.

This training simulated an active shooting attack and focused onemergency response to that particular scenario on a school campus. The purpose of the drill was to prepare law enforcement and first responders to collaborate and, more importantly, communicate between agencies during the stress of a realistic simulation. Agencies discovered the level of their own response plans to such a threat and will be able to assure a coordinated, timely and effective response and recovery in the event of a major incident.

During the scenario, dispatch personnel from this sheriff’s office, police and fire departments fielded simulated calls for help and responded by dispatching police and fire units along with sheriff’s deputies and other public service personnel to work together to stop the threat render aid to the victims. Law enforcement personnel have learned from previous events and continue to train and exercise with the aim of enhancing preparedness through a “whole community” approach.

Original source can be found here