The blood and trauma was fake, but county officials worked to make Saturday’s active shooter drill at the Bucks County Courthouse in Doylestown lifelike for police and medics.
Officials estimated 50 to 75 people were involved in Saturday’s drill, which played out in two scenarios. Each situation at the courthouse, which also houses county government offices, involved a disgruntled person opening fire in the building.
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County Commissioners Rob Loughery said it’s “hard to know what happens in an event like this,” but added it is good to be prepared.
Police from Central Bucks County, Bucks County Sheriff Deputies, county security, emergency management officials, firefighters, staff at Dolyestown hospital and medics all took part in the drill. Students from a local tech school played bystanders and the injured.
County spokesman Chris Edwards said the drill followed several training sessions involving local first responders.
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Police armed with guns firing blanks ran around the courthouse to assist officials with a possible shooter in at the Court Street entrance. Medics and firefighters then began triaging patients and assessing which ones had the most life-threatening injuries.
Edwards said it was the first time the county held a drill of this size at the courthouse.
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Officials held a similar drill at Harry S. Truman High School in Bristol Township last year.
