Xcel Energy, the Minnesota based natural gas company joined with area law enforcement officers recently in conducing security exercises at its offices in Amarillo, Texas.
The Amarillo Globe News reported the Amarillo Police Department, Amarillo Fire Department, Potter County Sheriff’s Department, Randall County Sheriff’s Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Amarillo Area Office of Emergency Management conducted the exercise over the weekend in the Xcel Energy facilities.
Southeast Seventh Avenue between Pierce and Buchanan streets was closed during the exercises, which took place at Xcel’s downtown location, 790 S. Buchanan St. It was all-day event, where active-shooter and barricaded-hostage situation drills were practiced.
“Hopefully this never happens in Amarillo, but if it were to happen it’s good for us to practice, know what to do and know how to work with these other agencies,” said APD’s Sgt. Carla Burr, public information officer in interview with the newspaper.
Burr said more practice opportunities make officers more proficient in crisis situations.
“I don’t think we can make assumptions on active shooters anymore,” she said. “They’ve gone to schools, they’ve gone to churches, they’ve gone to mosques, they’ve gone to buildings, they’ve gone to houses – it’s a terrible thing that we have in our present day, so we just have to be prepared for it to happen anywhere.”
Wes Reeves, Xcel’s media relations director for Texas and New Mexico, said the participating entities have been working closely to design the training exercises.
“This is the first time in my memory that Xcel Energy has done something like this,” he said. “Our security team wanted to conduct this exercise, not only for our own good but to share with our other facilities. It’s helps us with our own response … we want plans in place … and this gives us great practice.”
Reeves said the cost of the necessary training was shared among Xcel Energy and the participating agencies.
Though there are security measures in place at its new downtown location – badge-only entrances, a secured area for the public and checkpoints – you can never be too prepared for what may happen, Reeves said.
“You just can’t be complacent anymore. Every possible place where people gather could be a potential flashpoint,” he said. “Employee safety is always our No. 1 priority, whether it’s linemen doing dangerous work or office workers who could be exposed to something dangerous.”