LeROY - Police, firefighters, and ambulance crews are now more prepared to respond to a shooting crisis, thanks to a drill conducted at LeRoy High School.

Last week's drill was the culmination of several hours of planning among the local agencies, school officials, City of LeRoy, McLean County Sheriff's Department, Metcom, and the McLean County Emergency Management Agency.

Keith Gehrand, a captain for the Illinois State University Police Department who lec-tures throughout the state on emergency drills, was a con-sultant.

The drill was a mock school shooting and began with two "shooters" entering the school and "starting a fire" in the gym. Some students were "shot" as they entered the halls in response to the fire alarms.

Several teachers and students portrayed themselves. As they were briefed on the scenario, several admitted they were scared.

Two teams of police officers, made up from departments from LeRoy, Heyworth, and McLean County, responded to the scene. After they caught the shooters, they made sure the building was clear before firefighters and ambulance workers entered.

Before the Littleton, Colo., high school shootings in 1999, LeRoy Police Chief Gordon Beck said law enforcement was taught to set up a "perimeter" and contain a shooter. That response may still be appropriate in some situations, Beck said, but now police officers are trained in "rapid response" techniques. They learn how to apprehend an active shooter before more people are injured.

The drill also provided an opportunity for agencies to test communications systems and learn how to better communi-cate during an emergency.