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Imagine your classroom being attacked by a crazed shooter, such as the student responsible for the Virginia Tech University massacre. Several hundred law enforcement, emergency medical workers, students, faculty and staff did just that on the final day of fall semester, in an emergency simulation at Daytona State College.

A cooperative venture between the College, Daytona Beach Police Department, Volusia County Sheriff's Department, Volusia County Emergency Operations Center and Halifax Hospital, the event was a joint emergency training session held Dec. 18 in Bldg. 510 involving an "active shooter" scenario.

It was the third of three exercises made possible through a $500,000 U.S. Department of Education Emergency Management for Higher Education Grant awarded this year to Daytona State to enhance disaster preparedness on campus. Previously, the college conducted hurricane and chemical spill response drills. All training exercises were in coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program.

The purpose of the simulation was to instruct students, faculty and staff on ways to handle such an occurrence, said Campus Safety Director and drill coordinator Bill Tillard, adding that, "We need to prepare ourselves for the worst."

Communication major Lauren Benetti agreed, saying, "I will feel safer at this campus because I know if anything were to happen we would be prepared for it."

Although some 50 students signed up for the drill, many did not show because of the weather. Bruno Blazevic, a student majoring in Economic said, "I'm surprised to see so many eager students here on a rainy day to participate in this drill."

Over the last 16 months, Campus Safety handled the three simulations - dubbed "Big Wind," "Big Spill" and "Big Bang" - with successful results. For this final drill, there were a number of students who felt the "Big Bang" was a major turning point in his college career. Dual-enrolled Carlos Martinez said, "I learned a lot from experience and now I'm interested in joining the police force."

Mingling among students and other volunteers, were police officers, members of the SWAT and Volusia County Bomb squads and fire department personnel, as well as several fully-manned EVAC's on the scene to aid the "wounded."

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