Coast Guard, partners conduct active shooter, anti-terrorism response exercise

In this stock photo, Petty Officer 1st Class Peter York from Coast Guard Station Niagara, N.Y., stands guard over a "deceased" active shooter during an exercise held at Coast Guard Sector Buffalo, N.Y., Jan. 29, 2015. York was one of many Coast Guard law enforcement officers from Coast Guard stations throughout Sector Buffalo's area of responsibility who participated in the exercise. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Lauren Laughlin)

BUFFALO, New York – The U.S. Coast Guard, in collaboration with the U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, conducted an active shooter anti-terrorism response exercise Thursday at Coast Guard Sector Buffalo. 

The exercise used a unified approach to test local response capabilities to an active shooter terrorism event.  This exercise provided an opportunity to put into practice and assess response plans, and identified methods to improve the local regional response capability.  

Numerous local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies responded to the exercise, where simulated improvised explosive devices and simunition rounds were used to maximize the training environment. Exercise planners said the collaboration and pre-existing relationships between law enforcement and response agencies were vitally important to the exercise and ensured a unified response effort.

For more information, please contact Coast Guard Sector Buffalo Public Affairs Officer Lt. Cmdr. Jesse Garrant at 716-843-9317.