HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Area law enforcement and Hutchinson Fire have been spending the week doing active shooter exercises around Hutchinson High School.

The exercise, done each year at various locations, helps officers prepare for such an event by putting them through various scenarios. Lt. Brice Burlie with the Hutchinson Police Department says some of the training is a little different this year in that they are doing exercises involving a single officer. This type of event was brought to light during the Excel Industries shooting last year in Hesston.

Burlie says such a scenario has very different tactics compared to a group of officers responding to a shooting in that the officer must react quickly and make sure he or she does everything possible to stop the shooter while watching out for the many unknowns, such as a second shooter. It also trains the officer to report their whereabouts and give a self-description so arriving officers can identify him or her.

The Hutchinson Fire Department was brought in to help train them on responding to numerous injuries and to triage such events.