By:John Laidler GLOBE CORRESPONDENT
Source: The Boston Globe

Quincy College recently took another step to bolster its readiness for a potential future emergency.

Working in conjunction with Quincy police, the Norfolk County sheriff’s office, and Brewster Ambulance, the college held an “active shooter training exercise” on its Quincy campus.

The day-long drill, called Operation Granite Shield, simulated an active shooter event from the start of the incident through the emergency response to subsequent administration and police response actions.

The college is in discussions to conduct a similar event on its Plymouth campus.

The training is part of an ongoing effort by the Quincy-affiliated community college to enhance its preparedness for public safety emergencies. Other steps have included undertaking an “All Hazards Risk Assessment” study, forming crisis management and behavioral and threat assessment teams, and updating the college’s emergency response plan.

The college has also expanded the duties of its full-time resource officers, created an emergency notification system, installed a 24-hour video surveillance system, and created campus emergency response guides.

“While no college can ever say they are ready for the violent and unexpected events which we have seen occur around the nation we can and have taken steps to prepare for the unthinkable should it occur,” the college’s president, Peter H. Tsaffaras, said in a statement.