NAVIFOR Conducts Active Shooter Exercise

Photo By Chief Petty Officer Rafael Martie | Suffolk, Va. (Feb. 6, 2018) Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR) Sailors and Department of Navy Civilian employees conducted an active shooter exercise with Federal Protective Services (FPS) and Suffolk Police Department. This exercise gave more than 300 participating Sailors, government employees and contractors an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the Navy’s Run-Hide-Fight training in a practical application (U.S. Navy Photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Rafael Martie)  

SUFFOLK, VA, UNITED STATES

02.06.2018

Story by Chief Petty Officer Rafael Martie 

Naval Information Forces

Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR) teamed with Federal Protective Services (FPS) and Suffolk Police Department (SPD) to conduct an active shooter exercise Feb. 6.

This exercise gave more than 300 participating Sailors, government employees and contractors an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the Navy's Run-Hide-Fight training in a practice scenario.

“An active shooter response drill is required by DoD instruction to be performed twice every year for the purposes of staff training in the procedures and necessary actions to prevent massive loses of life at this command should a horrible act such as this take place,” said Robert Baldwin, NAVIFOR Physical Security Specialist/Antiterrorism Assistant. “Training on safe zone locations, evacuation procedures, and emergency exit locations are some of the more critical aspects of this.”

Overall, the staff reacted swiftly and secured the building quickly as the role-playing active-shooter armed with a simulated handgun stomped through the hallways banging on office doors shouting threats and pretending to shoot anyone within sight, both military members and civilians.

“It was an effective drill, and we were able to identify areas of improvement,” said Chief Navy Career Counselor Monica Crumpvenn, one of the safety observers for the exercise. “It was also great to work with local law enforcement during the exercise and share best practices so we could be better prepared if an actual event were to occur.”

The active-shooter exercise is just one example of how the partnership between NAVIFOR, FPS and SPD are working together to provide a safe environment for Sailors and staff civilians.

“We at NAVIFOR are very fortunate to have such a close and highly cooperative relationship with the SPD as well as the FPS. Our active shooter drill serves as a multi-faceted, integrated training platform for NAVIFOR staff but also for FPS and SPD who utilize this opportunity to exercise their interoperability in tactical response techniques,” said Baldwin.

NAVIFOR's mission is to provide combat-ready information warfare forces to operational commanders, ashore and afloat, that are forward deployable, fully trained, properly manned, capably equipped, always ready, well-maintained and combat sustainable.

For more information on NAVIFOR, visit the command's web site at www.navifor.navy.mil, our Navy News Web page at www.navy.mil/local/nidf or Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/USNavyInformationDominanceForce.

• Date Taken: 02.06.2018
• Date Posted: 02.22.2018 12:10
• Story ID: 266829
• Location: SUFFOLK, VA, US