Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C. --
Between 2000-2018, more than 275 active shooter incidents occurred in the United States, resulting in more than 2,500 casualties. At least seven of them have occurred on military installations. It is crucial that Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point personnel are trained for the worst possible incident.
No one knows what each day may bring but at MCAS Cherry Point, N.C., everyone trains to be ready to meet any situation presented at a moment’s notice. In the spirit of preparedness, MCAS Cherry Point base personnel conducted an active shooter drill, Sept. 23, 2020.
“The active shooter training was successful in giving personnel the ability to hear what such an event would sound like and validate the actions they would take within their workspaces,” said Grant DeHaven, Mission Assurance program manager at MCAS Cherry Point. “Based on the scenario at hand, personnel quickly identified a threat and took effective actions to protect themselves, and others, from the shooter. We truly hope an incident like this never happens and every scenario is different. However, this realistic training has facilitated the ability of MCAS Cherry Point staff to gain confidence in their response actions.”