It was a busier than normal Sunday night at the state's biggest shopping mall. A number of first responders lined the parking lot, but for a good cause, it was a mock disaster drill.
It's something many of us don't like to think about, what to do should a tragic event strike in a public place like this. Sioux Falls police and mall security set the scene for a disaster here at the Empire Mall. It looks very realistic, but they seem up for the challenge.
Sioux Falls Police Sgt. Loren McManus believes having his officers respond to familiar territory can save time in an emergency.
"The old adage is, you will respond as you train, which is why we do these type of things, not only here at the mall but other areas across town too," Sgt. McManus said.
Dennis Gilliam, manager of the Empire Mall wants to keep his customers and employees as safe as possible.
"This is just an exercise that we do throughout the year and ongoing. We do everything from tornado disasters, any natural disasters, all the way to any other unexpected occurrence," Gilliam said.
McManus says areas with large groups of people can be a target, so Sioux Falls police are working with mall security to be prepared for the worst.
"We're going to give the officers an opportunity to respond to the mall for a major incident. It could be something like a barricaded subject, it could be an active shooter situation,.those type of emergency calls that we have to have an immediate response too," Sgt. McManus said.
It's the largest tourist attraction in the state and Sioux Falls' emergency responders want to make sure we stay safe while we shop.
