MIDDLEBORO — Middleboro Public Schools, Police, and Fire Departments recently participated in Active Shooter Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Training, Police Chief Joseph Perkins, Fire Chief Owen Thompson, Town Manager James McGrail and Superintendent of Schools Carolyn Lyons reported.

On Wednesday, June 5 Middleboro department heads and staff members together with Coastal Ambulance participated in a joint ASHER tabletop training exercise as part of routine professional development at the Middleboro Police Department.

ASHER Training consists of drills and scenarios centered around active shooter or hostile situations. This training will allow departments to collaborate and strengthen their skills in their specific roles while working to manage high-level tasks.  

Throughout the day, Middleboro officials ran through several different scenarios to practice intercommunication skills and be ready for unexpected instances such as an active shooter. 

Following each exercise, participants were debriefed on the drill’s successes, challenges, and areas for improvement in future drills.

The Middleboro Public Schools will be working with the Act for Safety group, composed of Middleborough department heads, to provide training in the 2024-25 school year.

"Our departments work closely to be able to assist our residents in times of emergency," said Perkins. "These trainings help us to ensure cohesive leadership and functionality during unexpected crisis situations."

"We highly value our partnership with the Town of Middleboro and the Middleboro Police and Fire Departments and are thankful for the opportunity to learn safety best practices alongside each other," added Lyons.