East County residents, specifically those who live in Elma, should expect a large police presence in the are and at Elma High School during the next few weekends.

An interagency training, with law enforcement and first responders, will simulate a response to an active-shooter situation on Dec. 4 and Dec. 18. Both are only drills, and police and fire personnel will be seen at the school and throughout the area between the Elementary School west of town and the high school.

“We don’t want to cause public alarm, but this is a really serious situation, as we’ve seen around the country, and we need to be prepared,” said Hoquiam Police Chief Jeff Myers, who is serving as the training’s public information officer. “And while we’re training for it, we hope we’ll never have to use it.”

The aim of the training is to practice communication and interagency responses.

Myers said the first step of an active-shooter situation — defined by Myers as “any person who inflicts mass casualties in a short period of time” — is to neutralize the threat. The second step is a rescue team which consists of emergency medical personnel paired with a police officer.

The responding officers and medical personnel can not wait for a swat team to get organized because, in past situations, victims have died at the scene.

“We can’t wait to get people out — they bleed to death. The rescue team will quickly assess and remove viable patients,” Myers explained. “It’s battlefield medical triage.”

Officers from throughout the county will work to develop their communication and response tactics to ensure “efficient use of resources,” Myers said.

Elma High School students will act as victims during the training.

Similar drills have been held in Aberdeen and at Central Park Elementary.