Lincoln County Holding School Shooting Drill During Spring Break

Specific information on the drill will be provided to area radio stations at the start of the drill. The exact date, time and location will not be announced to the public prior to that.

Agencies like the Depoe Bay Fire Department will participate in teh drill Photo By: Tim King

(LINCOLN CITY) - Heading to the coast to get away during spring break???

Well, don`t be shocked or alarmed if you see a bunch of police and fire vehicles heading for, or outside a school in Lincoln County.

Lincoln County police agencies, the Lincoln County School District, Oregon State Police, area fire departments, and other county public safety agencies will be participating in a coordinated emergency school shooting drill at one of Lincoln City's schools during spring break, March 20th through 24th.

To maintain the integrity of the exercise and increase the realism for the involved participants, the lack of prior notification will better allow the agencies to evaluate their response systems in "real time" activities authorities said.

Agencies scheduled to take part in the drill scenario include the school district, Lincoln City Police Department, Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital, Pacific West Ambulance, North Lincoln Fire and Rescue, Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, Oregon State Police, Depoe Bay Fire and Rescue and Lincoln County Emergency Services.

Authorities hope that by getting the message out now, it will minimize alarm or confusion if residents or spring break visitors to the coast, see a large concentration of police cars, fire vehicles and ambulances heading for a school, they can assume the training exercise is under way.

The drill will include the use of guns that shoot non-lethal cartridges, similar to paint balls.

When the guns are fired, they do produce a sound very much like actual gunfire.

Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital is also participating in the drill.

The hospital will be in simulated lockdown for part of the exercise.

Hospital staff say that during the exercise public access to the hospital will NOT be limited or restricted