First responders in Dixon, Illinois, are drilling to deal with a terrible disaster.
It's a scene all too painful in places like Sandy Hook and Northern Illinois University.
They're practicing how to respond during a school shooting.
It's the call no school wants to make.
"Here, the first officer on scene is the first officer to go in," said Dixon Police Chief Danny Langloss.
In this drill, a gunman is shooting his way through the former Lincoln School in Dixon.
"In training, we make this as real-life as we possibly can," he continued. That tunnel vision starts to kick in. It starts to narrow your field."
As police officers and sheriff's deputies arrive, there are several injuries in the simulation.
It's a powerful lesson about first responses when seconds count.
"You can no longer wait for a coordinated team to come in and stop that threat because it's going to take too long," said Lee County Sheriff John Simonton.
On Thursday, there are tense moments down each hallway and around every turn.
Unlike the past, paramedics enter with police to provide faster care.
"We're able to move in with their protection to start working with the victims," said Dixon Fire Department Deputy Chief Mark Callison.
In this drill, officers must shoot down the gunman.
According to FBI statistics, that happens about a quarter of the time during real incidents.
While these agencies train separately, this collaboration creates a different dynamic in the field.
It's all about communication and teamwork during a chaotic situation.
"When this happens in real-life, you're going to have kids everywhere," said Chief Langloss. "Some people are going to be fleeing and exiting. Others will be locked in place."
Dixon police and Lee County first responders hope to continue this kind of drilling every six months.
"The main goal is to stop the threat," Sheriff Simonton concluded. "In order to do that, you have to do that in a coordinated fashion."
For them, building a skill set to save lives should they get that terrible call one day.
