Marquette County first responders participate in active shooter training at elementary school

ISHPEMING TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WLUC) - Marquette County first responders are better prepared to keep schools safe thanks to an active shooter training held Tuesday morning.

Law enforcement participated in the training at Aspen Ridge Elementary. Ishpeming Township Police Chief Chris Croley says the training had one clear goal.

“To make sure that everybody could see a little bit of what would take place if we had a critical incident, an active shooter type scenario, what they can expect and what they could see when officers enter a building and they respond to this type of an incident,” Croley said.

Volunteers role played as staff under lockdown, as law enforcement worked to neutralize the threat. EMS coordinated with officers to treat the wounded.

“I think it’s important for the community to know that the first responders in Marquette County are collaborating and trying to be proactive,” Marquette County Emergency Management Program Coordinator Brian Hummel said. “We’re not trying to maintain a reactive approach. We want to be proactive and work together to find innovative ways to keep our community safe.”

After the training, those who participated shared their thoughts on how to improve the protocols.

“We are going to continue to train, and this is where we can pick up where we think we can do something better, and we’ll add it into our policies on how we are going to respond,” NICE Community Schools Resource Officer Steve Kangas said.

NICE Community Schools Superintendent Bryan DeAugustine says Marquette County parents should feel confident their kids will be safe when they go to school.

“I really appreciate all the work that our EMS personnel and our police officers put in and to see them dedicated and just willing to do this training and make sure that they have all the necessary information and all the necessary tactics in place,” DeAugustine said. “It is reassuring.”

Croley says participants filled out feedback forms which will be used to help update the county emergency response plan.