With the school year just around the corner, agencies from all across New York are taking part in an active shooter training drill in Sullivan County.

It took place at the former Cornelius Douglas School in White Lake. Local and county law enforcement officers are practicing, as well as some from New York City and Long Island.

The session is run though Louisiana State University’s National Center for Biomedical Research and Training. The program is free to the county, funded through FEMA to help make sure law enforcement is prepared should something ever happen.

Sullivan County officials call it a valuable tool.

“It gives you perspective how to walk into a classroom, how to walk down the halls, there’s different doors that you have to be watching in and it opens the eyes to the individual as to how to get into a classroom,” said Sullivan County Legislature Chairman Luis Alvarez. 

The chairman says some municipalities have to wait up to five years to take part in this simulation, so Sullivan County is fortunate to have this opportunity so soon.