Surviving a Gunman: New Bedford Employees Undergo Active Shooter Training

City employees are undergoing training for a scenario they hope never unfolds.

New Bedford Police Spokesman Lt. Amos Melo says starting this week, City employees have begun learning what to do in the event an active shooter storms their building.

Lt. Melo tells WBSM News on Tuesday, employees at City Hall were taught the basics of surviving such a scenario, and then their education was put to the test through simulations. "We'll have one or two officers that are dressed down and we play the role of an intruder," explained Melo. "Prior to that, we teach the employees some options on how to barricade doors, how to counter, if need be. But primarily we teach them to evacuate."

Melo uses the ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate) training program to prepare schools, offices, private businesses, and others for the possibility of an unfortunate scenario.

Melo says the training will continue take place over the next month in various City departments. A total of 365 City employees will have undergone the active shooter training upon completion of the program.