MCAS Yuma hosts active shooter simulation

Servicemembers carry out full response to threatening life-like enactment - News 11's Arlette Yousif reports

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Three active shooters at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma, but don’t worry-- it’s only a simulation to keep our men and women in uniform prepared. The full enactment was equipped with military police, fire, and medical personnel on standby. Screams by supposed gunshot wound victims can be heard from a distance.

Operations Officer 1st. Lt. Thorsen Hsu says these drills are necessary for the military to always be prepared.

"Ultimately, I think today was a success. We identified a lot of the things that we were doing well, as well as some things to improve on. But ultimately, I think we're going to be better prepared to respond to a[n] active shooter threat to the installation because of today," says MCAS Yuma Provost Marshalls Operations Officer 1st. Lt. Thorsen Hsu.

In addition to the Provost Marshalls Team, the full enactment was equipped with military police, fire, and medical personnel on standby.

Screams by military acting like gunshot wound victims can be heard from a distance.

"Elements of border patrol and the Yuma Police Department were also present to help evaluate and assess our capabilities," explains 1st. Lt. Hsu.

Every team played an intricate part in carrying out the exercise.

"I was in charge of our initial team, our special reaction team, um, which is like our swat team. I was in charge of my guys setting up that throw phone, taking controls of room, clearing rooms, and giving the mp’s the 'okay' and the evacuation team to start med-[evacuating] people," says MCAS Yuma Special Reaction Team Leader Cpl. Eric Sanchez.

But things don’t always go as planned.

"We adjusted. We overcame. We adapted to it," explains Cpl. Sanchez.

While this simulation did not depict a terrorist situation, the same procedures would be applied.