First Aid Squad Holds Active Shooter Drill

Photos/HCFAS
The HCFAS crew simulates treating a victim for gunshot wounds sustained if an active shooter scenario occurs.

As part of an active shooter drill, a member of the Huntington Community First Aid Squad evacuates a “victim” from St. Anthony’s High School.

By Jano Tantongco
jtantongco@longislandergroup.com

In the case of an active shooter, the Huntington Community First Aid Squad is ready for action after it a drill it conducted at St. Anthony’s High School on June 17.

Simulating the event, the HCFAS received a “call” at 9:15 a.m., with a report of an active shooter at St. Anthony’s High School in Huntington Station with an unknown number of gunshot “victims,” made up of the young members of the Nassau Police Explorers and HCFAS Explorers.

By 9:22 a.m., the first of two ambulances arrived on scene. Suffolk County Police Department officers told the First Aid Squad crew that the shooter was neutralized and it was safe to enter to school.

As they entered, they found 20 victims on both the first and second floors with a multitude of different kinds of gunshot wounds. The HCFAS then requested more ambulances and crews.

Crews went into the building and expediently tagged victims to highlight the severity of their conditions, then evacuated them to the treatment area. Once there, crews treated their wounds and brought them to the ambulances, as if to rush them to the hospital.

“This is an example of our ongoing training for our Huntington Community First Aid Squad volunteers,” HCFAS spokeswoman Andrea Golinsky said. “They felt good in the sense that they were able to go in and do what they needed to do and felt confident that if something happened, they would be able handle to it.”

All in all, six of the first aid squad’s ambulances reported for duty, with two first responder vehicles, as well as their Multi Casualty Incident vehicle. In additional to all chiefs reporting, there were also 25 crew members present.

The Cold Spring Harbor Fire Department also had in-house crews on standby ready to handle any real emergency calls while the drill was taking place.