A full-scale exercise conducted at NETL’s research campus in Morgantown, West Virginia, tested emergency preparedness and identified areas for improvement to save lives and prevent injuries in the event of an actual workplace violence incident.

Morgantown police and the department’s Special Response Team (SRT) recently responded to the campus for a simulated workplace shooting. As part of the training scenario, the mock suspect wounded two individuals and held several hostages until SRT officers responded and ended the standoff using non-lethal force.

When the incident began, NETL quickly communicated with staff to shelter in place. NETL’s shelter-in-place order calls for staff to remain in a safe area such as a room that can be locked or barricaded, to stay hidden by avoiding windows and doors, and to remain in a shelter-in-place condition until the danger has been removed and an all-clear order is issued.

“NETL shelter-in-place procedures are protective actions implemented to keep employees safe from an imminent hazard,” said Gerald “Jerry” Simkonis, NETL’s Emergency Response Program manager. “Shelter-in-place training is mandatory for all NETL staff and something we emphasize not only during National Preparedness Month (which is observed in September) but other times of the year as well.”

Throughout the incident, Morgantown Chief of Police Eric Powell said NETL staff remained calm and followed the shelter-in-place protocol. “Staff did very well,” Powell said. “People took cover as instructed.”

It was important to make the training exercise as realistic as possible. Makeup was used to create wounds on NETL staff who portrayed shooting victims. Heavily armed police in tactical vehicles arrived on-site and began to work closely with NETL incident commanders and other members of the Lab’s emergency response organization (ERO). 

In an actual event, those near a workplace shooting may panic, disregard the shelter-in-place order and flee or freeze, placing themselves in greater danger. A realistic training exercise reduces the likelihood of that occurring in an actual incident.

Powell said the training exercise also allowed police, NETL Security and the ERO staff to identify potential obstacles, such as attempting to communicate over different radio frequencies, that could limit the effectiveness of emergency response. 

In addition, the drill enabled law enforcement to better understand what resources NETL can provide to help defuse a crisis or prevent it from escalating.

During the drill, police needed building blueprints to pinpoint the suspect’s location. “NETL did an excellent job providing us with the information we needed,” said Morgantown police Sgt. Rob Balderson.

Powell said the feedback he has received from his officers about the drill has been positive. Those who took part in the exercise will share their information and observations with their law enforcement colleagues.

The enhanced understanding of the NETL-Morgantown campus acquired by participating in the drill helps police raise their level of preparedness. “We don’t want to have to respond without some basic knowledge of the layout of the campus,” Powell said. “We are always eager to work with organizations like NETL to prepare so we can respond effectively.”

Simkonis thanked police for their commitment to collaborating with NETL on this preparedness activity to help ensure “all men and women at the Morgantown site go home safely at the end of the day.”

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