Methuen Police, Methuen Fire, and Methuen Public Schools Participate in Successful Active Shooter Drill, Showcasing Coordinated Response

METHUEN — Police Chief Scott McNamara, Fire Chief Tim Sheehy, and Superintendent Brandi Kwong are pleased to share that the Methuen Police and Fire Departments and Methuen Public Schools, acting under the direction of Mayor D.J. Beauregard, participated in and successfully completed ALERRT active shooter training.

ALERRT (Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training) teaches first responders and civilians how to respond effectively to active shooter situations, providing practical skills and strategies to rapidly identify, isolate, and neutralize active shooters.

The training was conducted on Wednesday, April 16, at Methuen High School, with approximately 62 individuals involved in the training. Methuen High School student volunteers assisted by serving as role-players to enhance the realism of the training. All Methuen High School students and staff went into lockdown during the drill and took the drill seriously.

The drill extended far beyond a standard lockdown. It involved a fully choreographed scenario with high school student role-players and simulated casualties.

The drill tested the ability of first responders to neutralize a threat and form Rescue Task Forces, combining Police and Fire/EMS personnel, to evacuate wounded individuals from a warm zone. A warm zone is an area in an active shooter incident where the immediate threat has been neutralized or contained, but some risk remains, requiring coordinated efforts to safely extract victims. Methuen Firefighters play a critical role in such extractions, and training together with police and school officials builds the skills and readiness of all involved. This integrated response highlights Methuen’s readiness to manage complex emergencies with precision and unity.

The training drill was the first conducted at such a scale at Methuen High School. Earlier this year, Methuen Police, Methuen Fire and Methuen Public Schools also teamed up to conduct smaller-scale lockdown drills at each school in the district. These drills will be conducted annually to keep skills sharp, and they are complemented by ongoing tabletop exercises throughout the year.

The Methuen High School training was designed and delivered by instructors who are certified by the ALERRT Center at Texas State University, in collaboration with local law enforcement trainers. 

“Today’s drill was a critical step in ensuring Methuen is prepared for the unthinkable,” said Chief McNamara. “By uniting Police, Fire, and Schools in a realistic, high-pressure scenario, we strengthened our ability to neutralize threats, save lives, and protect our community. This training builds confidence in our coordinated response to any crisis.”

“Our firefighters, who also serve as EMS providers staffing our ambulances, worked seamlessly with Police to execute Rescue Task Forces, rapidly evacuating casualties from the warm zone,” said Chief Sheehy. “This drill proved our ability to integrate medical response with tactical operations, ensuring we can save lives under the most challenging conditions.”

“Our number one priority is student and staff safety,” said Superintendent Kwong. “MPS is so fortunate to have a positive, collaborative relationship with both the MPD and MFD to be able to plan and execute this level of training that impacts our community. We were all able to focus on response times of our students and staff and learn more about the coordinated emergency response in these situations. The exercise today was hugely successful, and I am grateful to the entire team that worked with us over the past several weeks to coordinate and execute it.”

“As Mayor, I directed Chiefs McNamara and Sheehy, along with Superintendent Kwong, to conduct this drill to demonstrate Methuen’s proactive approach to school safety. Their leadership and the dedication of their teams have set a standard for excellence in preparedness,” said Mayor Beauregard. “We will continue to prioritize training, collaboration, and resources to keep our schools and community secure.”

To learn more about ALERRT Training, visit: https://alerrt.org/.