NEW CASTLE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Del. -- The hustle and bustle in the everyday work centers were interrupted by the notification of an active shooter during an exercise, here, Aug. 22, 2019.
The purpose of this exercise was to provide members of the 166th Airlift Wing with a greater awareness and understanding of possible threats, as well as test their ability to respond properly in the event of an active shooter situation.
During the exercise, a designated active shooter entered a building and simulated opening fire. First responders, such as Security Forces, Fire Protection and Emergency Management neutralized the threat and triaged wounded personnel, while all other personnel participated in an installation-wide lockdown.
Air Mobility Command, 166th Airlift Wing’s gaining command, requires units to conduct this training twice a year.
“We hope this [training] is the most valuable training you’ll never need,” said Col. Carla D. Riner, 166th Airlift Wing commander. “This imperative training effort provides an excellent opportunity for our Airmen to stay current on active shooter scenarios and how to respond in the event of an incident.”
Personnel who participated in the exercise were able to take away lessons learned during the scenario, which further prepared them for how to tailor their responses in the event a situation occurs on or off base.
“Training exercises are essential to keeping the 166th AW community safe,” said Capt. Joel Steinbrunner, 166th Security Forces Squadron commander. “Training allows our SF Airmen and other first responders to stay up-to-date on response practices as well as identify areas in which we can improve on.”