NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — If you were in Newport News near Christopher Newport University (CNU) and saw a large police presence, don't be alarmed.
Between 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., CNU conducted an exercise to ensure law agencies, students, and staff knew what to do in the event of an active threat.
When a real emergency happens, every second counts, and the purpose of this exercise at CNU is to be better prepared for the unthinkable.
The exercise took place at McMurran Hall, which simulated a real-life active threat, both inside and outside the lecture hall.
"I actually think it makes me feel more secure, because it's like, it's a real-life thing, so everybody knows how to go about it, if it actually goes down," said Nolan Dibbs, a CNU student.
The exercise partnered CNU with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the City of Newport News, and several state and local agencies to put on the full-scale drill.
"Our priority as a university is to make this campus as safe and secure as it can be," said Jim Hanchett, the Chief Communications Officer at CNI.
Actors portrayed injured victims, and the firing of blanks provided the real sounds of gunfire.
The drill even activated CNU's emergency notification system, which features outdoor sirens, text alerts, and public address systems.
"As technology changes, as people change and as circumstance change," said Jim Hanchett. "This isn't the end of this process. It's simply one step in it."
Following the exercise, participants evaluated their performance and whether participants accurately relayed information to the public.