Lockdown! Creech prepares for active shooter incident

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. N.B.
  • 432nd Wing, 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
LAS VEGAS --  An "active shooter" enters an Airman's place of business and opens fire, are Airmen prepared to respond appropriately? This is the question being asked and tested by leadership of the 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing at Creech Air Force Base, Nev.

At approximately 9:20 a.m., Airmen were surprised by an exercise involving two active shooters with hostages as they approached maintenance hangars on base and opened fire.

"The personnel in the area did a great job of noticing that something was out of place and immediately began initiating a lockdown of the surrounding buildings," said Capt. Nicholas, Wing Inspection Team member. "Communication is one of the most difficult parts of emergency response. This exercise was important because it allowed us to test and streamline our skills in that area."

The screams of hostages echoed as maintenance exit doors were slammed and secured to shield unsuspecting personnel from the active shooter threat.

"The initial moments in a crisis situation can determine the survival outcome for many, so we didn't want Airmen preparing for an exercise; we want them prepared for the real thing," said Col. James Cluff, 432nd Wing/432nd AEW commander.

Within minutes security forces personnel arrived on-scene to assess the evolving situation. Meanwhile, simultaneous active shooter attacks occurred at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. The experiences of one security forces Airman proved to be memorable.

"Responding to the exercise was exciting," said Senior Airman William Stanz, 799th Security Forces Squadron base defense operations center controller. "It was truly an unforgettable experience since it wasn't just an active shooter, but also a barricaded suspect and hostage scenario.

"I feel better prepared now because we practice how we would respond in a real-world scenario and there can never be too much practice."

During the scenario the detection capability of installation personnel, first responders, mass notification systems and force protection condition measures were evaluated by the inspection team.

"The main challenge in the exercise was the positioning of the suspects," said Stanz. "They had a tactical advantage but eventually we were able to neutralize the threat quickly and efficiently as possible with minimal casualties."

The exercise, which was a collaborated effort with Nellis AFB, was designed to provide an element of realism for those involved. A moulage team of Airmen acting as victims were used to help relay the severity of the situation.

"The patient moulage, as well as the patient acting was very realistic," said Staff Sgt. Zachary, 42nd Attack Squadron aerospace medical technician. "Those type of details definitely make the scenario more realistic and triggers that sense of urgency. The overall experience was great. We all learned a lot and look forward to testing our skills again soon."

The 432nd Wing leadership spoke about the benefits these exercises can have on the outcome of real-world situations.

"We wanted to test the preparedness of the base populace to respond to an active shooter. This includes testing the capabilities of Creech's first responders," said Cluff. "We use these exercises to learn lessons that could potentially save lives."

In the event of an active shooter, Nicholas suggests taking the following safety measures depending on where the shooter is located.

When an active shooter is outside in the open, seek cover and concealment. If the shooter is outside the building, lock the doors and windows, close the curtains or blinds, lie down on the floor or crouch below the window line. When possible, call 911 and let the dispatcher know the location, the number of shooters, the shooter's location and types of weapons involved. As a last resort, confront the shooter and neutralize the threat.

When first responders arrive, remain calm and follow their directions. Do not make any quick actions toward them and provide all information possible.

Editor's Note: Some names have been withheld for security purposes.