First Responders Take Part In Eye Opening Active Shooter Drill

OAK LAWN, IL -- In case you heard a loud explosion and gunfire on Sunday morning, it was only a drill. Oak Lawn police orchestrated one of the most ambitious full-scale disaster drills seen in the south suburbs. Guardians of Gotham simulated a train explosion and active shooter involving hundreds of role players, first responders and hospital personnel. Eight months in the planning, the exercise was funded through a grant provided to Advocate Christ Medical Center.

Perched on the fifth floor of the Oak Lawn Metra Parking Garage, the active shooter portion of the drill was designed to simulate last year’s shooting in Las Vegas. The exercise also included an explosion aboard a Metra commuter train.

Police practiced the “Four D’s” of real-life active shooter incidents, including detection, deterrence, delay and defeat, to reduce the number of casualties in highly fluid incidents. Unlike past mass shootings such as Columbine High School in 1999, where 13 students and a teacher were fatally shot, and 24 wounded by gunfire, police have learned to no longer wait until danger had passed. Officers on the scene practiced swarming areas where victims were shot and injured while the scene was still “warm” and the shooter on the move. The officers also practiced such maneuvers as covering firefighters and paramedics as they treated victims on the scene, and shooting into contained spaces. (SUBSCRIBE: Get Real-Time Alerts and a Daily Newsletter for Oak Lawn)

In addition, police practiced using high tech security detection systems to find and detain the shooter and transmit patient info to medical personnel waiting for casualties to arrive at the hospital.

Police from eight law enforcement agencies, including Oak Lawn, Evergreen Park, Alsip, Chicago Ridge, Bridgeview, Burbank, Hometown and Metra, participated. Area fire departments taking part in the exercise included Oak Lawn, Evergreen Park, Chicago Ridge, Burbank,Alsip and the Orland Fire Protection District.

Let’s hope we never have to use what was practiced Sunday, but should the unthinkable happen, south suburban police, fire and hospital personnel are ready.

Video of first moments of Sunday's active shooter drill in Oak Lawn.

Video by Patch Editor Lorraine Swanson