By Shannon Lukens.
Local law enforcement, Routt County Emergency Management, Steamboat Springs Fire Rescue, and Steamboat Springs School District conducted an active assailant response training at Steamboat Springs High School Tuesday.
Gregory Griffin is the Patrol Operations Commander for Steamboat Springs Police Department. He helped organize the training for local law enforcement.
“It has showed time and time again that we’re going to fall to our lowest level of training when we’re put under stress. So the more we can work through these situations, to be able to fight through that stress and save lives, the better off we’re going to be if we ever have to face that worse case scenario here in Steamboat.”
Mo Demorat was on scene all day with the Routt County Office of Emergency Management.
“The vast majority of my time is spent trying to prepare the county for something that we hope never happens.”
Around 100 people were involved in the all-day training including school district employees.
- Morning: An active shooter response simulation will take place at Steamboat Springs High School (SSHS).
- Afternoon: A reunification drill simulating a family pickup after a crisis will take place at Yampa Valley High School (YVHS).
It was followed up with a mock press conference with local media.
Both Steamboat Springs Police Chief Mark Beckett and Steamboat Springs School District Superintendent Dr. Celine Wicks spoke and answered mock questions.
No students were on campus during the exercise and no live ammunition was used. It involved a mock lockdown, sirens and emergency communications, role players acting as people who were injured, and an active shooter.
Those involved:
- Routt County Sheriff’s Office
- Steamboat Springs Police & Fire Departments
- UCHealth/Yampa Valley Medical Center
- Classic Air Medical
- Steamboat Springs School District
- Office of Emergency Management
- Hayden Police Department
- Local media
More on the Story from Tuesday — Local law enforcement to conduct response training at SSHS Tuesday