FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. — People around the Fairchild Air Force Base might hear loud sounds or see emergency responses during an active shooter response exercise on Thursday.
The exercise, scheduled for August 21, 2025, will involve first responders practicing emergency response procedures throughout the base. Personnel and visitors should expect to see and hear sirens, fast-moving emergency vehicles, and loud noises during the training event.
The training takes place weeks after an Army sergeant opened fire at Fort Stewart in Georgia, shooting five soldiers and prompting a brief lockdown at one of the country’s largest Army bases.
These preparedness efforts carry deep meaning for the Fairchild community, which bears the scars of its own heartbreaking experience with violence. Nearly three decades ago, in June 1994, the base endured an unthinkable tragedy when former airman Dean Mellberg opened fire at the base hospital, forever changing the lives of countless families and service members.
Base officials at Fairchild emphasize that Thursday’s exercise will not disrupt normal operations. Medical appointments, Exchange services, and Commissary operations will continue as scheduled during the training.
Team Fairchild personnel and visitors are asked to be aware of the increased emergency response activity during the exercise period but should continue with their normal daily activities.
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