The exercise conducted was the most extensive ever held in the county.
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The exercise conducted was the most extensive ever held in the county.
CANTON -- County officials reported that an active shooter drill held at the St. Lawrence County Courthouse effectively evaluated the region's emergency response capabilities.
During the Operations Committee meeting on January 6, St. Lawrence County Emergency Services Director Matt Denner updated county legislators on the results of the recent training exercise.
Denner mentioned that the county and emergency response teams had been preparing for the event "for more than a year," highlighting that it was the most extensive training drill carried out so far.
"I sense the impact of the exercise...we conducted a brief debriefing session with law enforcement, fire department, EMS, and a few participants at the county office afterward," he mentioned.
The training drill is among a select few that have taken place in recent years as local, county, state, and federal agencies enhance their preparedness to address various emergencies and scenarios arising from newly emerging threats.
Denner mentioned that a survey was distributed to all participants once the exercise concluded, although the initial feedback suggested that the event "was quite successful," he remarked.
"Denner emphasized that the key insight from the surveys is the importance of communication."
He mentioned that a meeting is set to take place soon, allowing all emergency responders to analyze and discuss the survey feedback.
Denner remarked, "While we've conducted similar exercises before, this is our inaugural experience at such a large scale."
Denner mentioned that the drill involved law enforcement securing the entire premises, while fire and EMS were on standby until their assistance was needed.
In recent years, comparable events have also taken place at various government facilities and local schools.
Another event is planned at a local school on January 31st, but county officials did not specify during the meeting which district would participate.
Denner remarked that these events serve as an excellent opportunity to optimize procedures and identify vulnerabilities in responses, enabling the county to collaborate more efficiently with local governments and educational institutions.
Denner mentioned, "We gather many small insights that we can communicate and share with each school district."
He mentioned that these exercises serve as an excellent means to align first responders, especially when they don't frequently collaborate.
Denner stated, "It fosters collaboration and communication among law enforcement, fire services, and EMS as well."
Authorities have indicated their intention to carry out additional exercises over the coming year, although a specific timetable has yet to be revealed.
