WHEELING, W.Va. (WTRF) – If you see a large emergency presence at Wheeling University next week, Wheeling-Ohio County first responders don’t want you to be alarmed.
Local EMA, EMS, law enforcement, fire, and medical personnel will be conducting a large-scale training exercise, where those working will respond to a simulated active shooter situation.
There will be signage posted for the exercise, giving people a heads up that they will see multiple police agencies, emergency responders, hospital staff, as well as Wheeing University student actors in special effects makeup.
”It’s going to be an active shooter situation like we see a lot throughout the nation where an active shooter goes on a campus and, you know, fire shots. So, people may be hearing some gunshots, which are actually just blanks, very safe. And the police and the sheriff’s department is going to respond to it like they actually would. There will be 911 calls going in. They are going to respond to that. We’ll have evaluators and safety officers there and then we’re going to just test to see how their response is, how they neutralize the victims. Then the fire department and EMS is going to come in, where they are actually going to treat the victims.”
Lou Vargo – EMA Director, Ohio County
They are practicing a new nationally renowned technique that they are calling the “Rescue Task Force,” where firefighters will receive a police escort to get the victims to a safe area, and in turn, get them to the hospital faster.
The exercise for educational training purposes will be at Wheeling University on April 30th from 4 to 8pm.
