Simulated blood, gore part of police training at middle school

LACONIA — Middle School Principal Alison Bryant, who took drama classes in high school and college, used her acting skills Saturday in active shooter simulations.

The police department and other emergency response agencies participated in three scenarios involving a gunman at the school. Such drills improve effectiveness in times of emergency.

Bryant pretended she was taken hostage in one scenario and that she was killed in another. In trying to make the training as realistic as possible, there was plenty of screaming, along with fake blood and gore, including a thigh bone sticking out of a leg.

“We were all trying to play the roles to be able to practice and make it as lifelike as possible,” she said. “This is all about paying attention, making sure we are doing everything we can to be as safe and secure as possible.”

Superintendent Brendan Minnihan pretended in one of the simulations that he was in the middle school for a meeting when shots were fired. Blanks were used. The gunfire sounded real.

Police ushered Minnihan and others out of the high school with their hands up.

“Going out with your hands up and walking down the hall, police having taken up positions, it was a little emotional,” Minnihan said. “Then they had people call me, acting like a parent or a sibling and asking about a student.”

Police Chief Matt Canfield said the training portrayed numerous casualties. The fire department was involved, and caring for the wounded was part of the drill. Officers set up a command post and designated an area where parents would reunite with their children.

Crisis negotiations took place, with officers persuading a “gunman” to surrender.

In one scenario, a school resource officer, a policeman stationed at the school, runs toward the sound of gunfire and is the first to encounter the shooter.

The middle school will have an officer stationed on campus next year. Currently the high school has the only such officer in the district.

Canfield said it is important to make the training as lifelike as possible.

“You perform the way you train,” he said. “We want to inoculate officers to the initial adrenaline dump and stress load. They really get to experience something that gives them an initial feeling of, ‘Oh my gosh, this is real.’”

The exercise also was a test of sorts for officers. Post-simulation meetings and briefings examine what was done correctly and what could use more work.

“Homeland Security will write an after-action critique,” Canfield said. “We identified things we can improve upon.

“Communication is always a big one. How information is relayed, the accuracy of details, the picture that you are painting for others.

“Overall, I was very happy with the way it went. Everybody reacted well. They handled the incident astoundingly well.”

Last year, a full-scale active shooter exercise was held at Woodland Heights Elementary School.

Training is also given to officers throughout the year on active-shooter response, firearms range practice and command and control exercises for supervisors.

In addition to planning for responding to a shooter in a school, steps have been taken to make buildings more secure so that unauthorized people are kept out. 

Protective film has been added to some windows, surveillance cameras installed, single public-entry points established, and doors and locks upgraded.

Minnihan said security upgrades and active shooter training has become important in recent years.

“But I would remiss if I didn’t say, it’s too bad we have to do this,” he said. “Still, I’d rather be trained and prepared than not trained.”