Lehigh Carbon Community College, Schnecksville, in cooperation with Northern Valley EMS, Schnecksville, and Neffs fire companies, and the Pennsylvania State Police recently took part in an active shooter drill on the campus.

Using all the resources available to respond to the campus, first responders were confronted by multiple gunshot “victims.”

These “wounded” individuals were portrayed by local fire and police personnel and volunteers from the college.

Oversight for the program was provided by Kristie Wilk, executive director of Northern Valley EMS.

The setting for the active shooter drill was in the Rothrock Library where an individual entered the building and began shooting randomly at anyone in his path

A quick-thinking individual activated a fire alarm pull station.

While firefighters and EMS were arriving, another individual called the Lehigh County 911 Center and reported the emergency was not a fire but an active shooter event.

State police were then alerted to the nature of the call and quickly responded.

Upon entering the building and doing a preliminary search, Troopers Rafe Simmons and Justin Yozsa, found the body of the shooter, an apparent suicide in a men’s bathroom.

Northern Valley EMS Triage Officer and Paramedic, Steve Kline was first to enter the building under protection of the troopers.

Quickly assessing each casualty as he encountered them, he assigned the appropriate level of care and transportation needed for each.

Once cleared by the troopers, additional emergency medical service personnel entered the building to stabilize, transport and treat the injured.

Emergency medical service units from as far way as Lehighton were on hand to help with care and transportation of the survivors.