WASHINGTON (NNS) --Naval Support Activity (NSA) Annapolis teamed up with the city of Annapolis, Md., to conduct an active shooter exercise as part of the annual exercise Solid Curtain-Citadel Shield (SC-CS) 2016, Feb. 5.
SC-CS 16 is a Force Protection exercise conducted by Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFF) and Commander, Navy Installations Command (CNIC) on all Navy installations in the Continental United States to enhance the training and readiness of Navy security personnel as well as establish a learning environment for security personnel to exercise functional plans and operational capabilities.
"This exercise is a critical component of our training program,” said NSA Annapolis Commanding Officer Capt. Logan Jones. “It allows us validate and refine training we have conducted to date, and it allows us to integrate security operations with NCIS; police from local jurisdictions; local, city, and county fire departments; and the Anne Arundel Medical Center."
First responders teamed up in a scenario consisting of multiple "active shooters" at the Brigade Sports Complex, security and Fire department coordinated with Annapolis Police and City and County Fire Departments to neutralize the shooters and help the simulated casualties on the scene.
"We try to pick a different site each year when we conduct this large drill in order to give our law enforcement officers - and the responding police officers from nearby jurisdictions – an opportunity to expand their familiarity with our various facilities,” said Jones.
As an annual exercise, SC-CS allows military and civilian responders alike to hone emergency skills as threats evolve, but in a safe environment, much like any other military evolution.
Jones explained that conducting the drill this year in a building that was not part of the Unite States Naval Academy academic complex allowed the participants to spend a little more time "in scenario" without unduly impacting Midshipmen academic schedules.
Jones emphasized that the exercise helps to practice military forces' interoperability with local first responders in the case an active shooter emergency would happen in his installation.
“For several years we have been fortunate to exercise in partnership with the Annapolis City Police,” said Jones.
Exercise SC-CS is the largest force protection exercise across the Department of Defense and consists of roughly 130 simultaneous field training exercise attacks across the country.
“This year we were pleased to be able to exercise and partner with the Anne Arundel County Police too, both departments were fantastic,” Jones said.
SC-CS is not in response to any specific threat, but is a regularly scheduled exercise.
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