Active shooter drill held at Flagler College

4 St. Johns County agencies participate together for first time

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – St. Johns County first responders held an active shooter drill at a Flagler College dormitory Wednesday morning.

The mission was for police to find the shooter and for rescuers to go in after police, clear the rooms and help the injured.

The exercised involved the St. Augustine Police Department, St. Augustine Fire Department, St. Johns County Sheriff's Office and St. Johns County Fire Rescue.

IMAGES: Working on skills
they hope to never need

St. Augustine police practiced at an elementary school last year. This year was the first time all the agencies came together to create a more realistic scenario if a shooter were on campus.

"Hopefully it never happens for real, but if it does we will be ready," said St. Augustine Fire Department Chief J.C. Costeria.

St. Augustine police Chief Loren Lueders said the agencies choose to practice these drills on campuses because schools are one of the most challenging places for them to find a shooter.

They ran through a few different scenarios. One involved an active shooter taking hostages, shooting them and then killing himself -- a far too common scene across the U.S. in recent years.

Training started on Monday and will go through the week. About 150 members total from all three agencies participated in the exercise.