Active Shooter Mass Casualty Drill Set For Thursday

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — Hillsborough County residents may notice an uptick in “emergency” activity on Thursday. The county has announced plans to host a major mass casualty exercise on Thursday with mock active-shooter scenarios set to play out at two separation locations.

“This year’s exercise will focus on the health care system’s ability to respond to and treat victims injured during an active-shooting incident,” the county explained in an email to media. The March 30 exercise will involve about 500 student volunteers who will be sent to 15 hospitals throughout the county for “triage.”

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The simulated active shooter scenarios are set to play out at Hillsborough Community College’s Dale Mabry Campus and at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital. HCC and the Tampa Police Department will coordinate the exercise on the Dale Mabry campus, which will involve “one or more gunmen and student victims,” the county said. That event is scheduled to begin around 8:30 a.m. Around 9 a.m., a second shooting incident exercise will take place at the Bruce B. Downs Boulevard veterans’ hospital.

“The annual mass casualty exercise provides real-time testing for emergency activation plans that guide response before, during, and immediately after an emergency or disaster situation,” the county explained. “Partner agencies and participants will assess their current policies and procedures to help determine needs and capabilities.”

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