We hope and pray our region never again encounters a terrorist attack, or a mass shooting the likes of which our nation has witnessed all too frequently over the past several years.
We would be foolish, however, to believe they can’t or won’t happen here.
To be unprepared would be unwise at the least, disastrous at the worst.
That’s why we were elated that our emergency responders gathered last week for intensive classroom and field training to handle a terrorist or similar attack at a college campus or public school.
Jim Effinger, manager of the Cambria Alliance Emergency Medical Services, formerly Cresson Area Ambulance Service, told our Kathy Mellott that the training brought home the seriousness of what could be a real event.
“It’s frighteningly realistic,” Effinger said. “You can’t put a dollar value on what experience this gives my people.”
Effinger and fellow responders trained at Mount Aloysius College in Cresson as part of an “active shooter/mass casualty training and drill.” An “attack” on Thursday wrapped up a day and a half of training.
Among the participants were dozens of emergency medical reponders, police departments, fire companies, Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center, Cambria County Emergency Management Agency, the coroner’s office, the U.S. Marshals Service and the federal prison at Loretto.
St. Francis University and several school districts from the county also participated.
The drill was the first of its kind since the late 1990s. Certainly the timing was appropriate in the wake of recent mass shootings in Colorado and Milwaukee.
“We need to implement our written plans into plans of action so we know they are correct and ready to go,” Ron Springer, director of Cambria County Emergency Services, said. “This makes us all better.”
Indeed it does. We can’t imagine training for emergency responders being any more valuable.
Springer said the drill might be repeated elsewhere in the county, especially if local high schools have an interest.
While we realize the expense and manpower hours involved, and that it would keep teachers and students away from classes, we urge full speed ahead on such a plan.
Our hats are off to all of last week’s organizers and participants.
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