Bellevue Fire, Police and Others to Stage Emergency Response Training Exercise at Bellevue High

Police and fire departments from Bellevue and other local cities will stage a training exercise at Bellevue High School over the weekend, the Bellevue Fire Department said in a press release.

The exercise is designed to test emergency responses and communications in the event of an incident involving multiple casualties, and will involve dozens of students acting the part of casualties.

Lt. Troy Donlin said that some may have questions about the timing of the training a mere week after a school shooting in Ohio that left three students dead.

 "Folks will ask if this is the most appropriate time to do this kind of exercise. I think the appropriate answer is, 'We need to be prepared,' " Donlin said in a video prepapred by the city of Bellevue. (See video above.)

The Bellevue School District and Cornerstone Construction, the principle contractor for the new Bellevue High School project, have been involved in planning the exercise for several weeks, he said.

Between 60 to 90 Bellevue High School students are slated to be involved in the training exercise, acting as casualties, which will make the scenario more realistic, Donlin said. 

The exercise takes place all day Saturday, March 10, and Sunday, March 11. The high school is located at 10416 Wolverine Way, south of downtown and just off Bellevue Way. 

Nearby residents and people traveling in the area may notice numerous police and fire vehicles, increased traffic and hear loud noises.

"We do active shooter drills often in King County, but not to this degree," Donlin said in the video.

Participating agencies include Bellevue’s Fire and Departments, Seattle’s Fire and Police Departments, along with law enforcement officers and firefighters from King, Snohomish, and Pierce Counties.

The exercise, funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Urban Areas Security Initiative, will test the ability of city and county bomb squads and SWAT teams to work together, according to the Fire Department.