Run, hide, fight – Fairchild conducts active shooter exercise Published Sept. 8, 2017 By Senior Airman Janelle Patiño 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Team Fairchild conducted an active shooter exercise to test the installation’s preparedness and safety by assessing Security Forces, Fire Department and Emergency Medical Responder’s ability to respond and recover from a potential incident here Aug. 30. “The Air Force mandates that we conduct two mass notification exercises annually,” said Master Sgt. Richard Ortega, 92nd Air Refueling Wing inspector general wing inspection team manager. “We use the active shooter scenario to deliver this requirement.” The exercise also tested the mass notification procedures and responses for personnel on base in addition to training first responders. “Two main objectives were met during this exercise,” Ortega said. “Our first responder’s ability to respond to the scene in a joint response task force capability, where it shortened the time for injured personnel to be cared for by medics and testing the procedures and timing of the installation’s mass notification systems during the attack, an integral part in minimizing its impact.” Ordering a lockdown can aid in minimizing injuries and casualties, while at the same time aiding in search efforts and giving suspects fewer places to hide. “The entire base population participates in the mass notification portion of the exercise by showing they can ‘Run, Hide, Fight’ in their local area,” Ortega said. “As for the actual scene of the active shooter, emergency responders respond to neutralize the threat and treat any injured personnel.”
