Boone County first responders said Thursday they were better prepared for an active shooter situation. The Boone County Office of Emergency Management and Boone County Public Safety Advisory Committee hosted an active shooter incident management basic training session. The first session took place at the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri headquarters on Vandiver Drive in Columbia.
The courses combine lecture and tabletop exercises. Members of law enforcement, fire, EMS, emergency management, and 911 personnel used a tabletop scenario involving an active shooter at the Columbia Mall. Organizers said tabletop exercises helped first responders manage multi-agency responses to high-stress emergencies.
Deputy Director Jake Waller said, โThis really helps solidify communication between all the agencies. A lot of these responders might not work together on a regular basis. Itโs really good to put a face to a name. If something actually were to happen, they already have a relationship thatโs been built up.โ
The next session takes place in November at the Columbia Police Department Regional Training Center. Organizers said the goal of the active shooter training sessions was to ensure responders can make fast, coordinated decisions that save lives.
