Active shooter exercise provides necessary training

BREMERTON -- An active shooter drill on the campus of Olympic College in Bremerton allowed more than 100 officers, medics and first responders to get hands-on training in the event of a shooting incident close to home. Nearby hospitals also participated, conducting mass casualty exercises.

The exercise had been planned for months and police were being trained to face the worst scenario possible -- multiple shooters inside a crowded college science building. Medics were trained to attend to the wounded and move them away from danger while college personnel provided support.

Olympic College is one of a growing number of schools that are wired to increase security.

College communications director Amanda Gebhardt Fuentes said, "If we did go into lockdown, the entire campus -- with one click of the mouse -- would be locked to keep it safe.”

"I'm sure there will be some things that we've learned from this," college president David Mitchell said. "I already know of a couple things we can look at, so there will be multiple things that will be better.”

Throughout the morning a red, white and blue reminder waived in the wind overhead. Flags were at half-staff to remember those that died in the shooting at the naval yard in Washington D.C. earlier this week.

Scott Wilson with the Kitsap County Sheriff's Office said that it was unfortunate to have to hold such training drills, but because of the current climate and "events of the world," it was necessary to have such training to "guard against or respond to” any violent incidents.