NYPD conducts active shooter drill in Lower Manhattan

Dozens of emergency responders from the NYPD, FDNY, and Homeland Security descended upon the Bowery early this morning to conduct an “active-shooter” drill in the subway system. The drills simulated an active-shooter situation in Lower Manhattan.

Wearing protective gear, they fired high-powered weapons loaded with blanks, 1010 WINS’ Roger Stern reported.

Police officers, medics, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents and members of the Department of Homeland Security converged on the closed Bowery train station. Firefighters removed them on thick yellow plastic sheets and law enforcement personnel took on the threat.

“Today’s exercise was created to test the coordination between our resources as well as the Fire Department”, Bratton said.

The drills used technologies including GoPro-like cameras worn by first responders and acoustic monitors created to give police and firefighters information needed to coordinate their responses.

Police Commissioner William Bratton says exercises like the subway drill “are vitally necessary” and provide lessons for emergency responders.

“You see more coordination, more teammwork than ever before”, de Blasio said.

The drill was organized about a year ago, but was altered to include aspects of the attacks last week, including a report of a suicide bomber.

“In NY City, we are, at this time, very well prepared and continually improving that preparedness”.

Appearing alongside Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, Bratton also called on Congress to “start getting serious” about fixing the loophole that allows those on the US terror watch list to legally purchase firearms in the United States.

Bratton said thousands of officers will patrol the parade route, incluing an additional 1,300 counterterrorism officers.