FARMINGTON — Surviving an active-shooter event is the topic of a course being offered to the public by Farmington Police Department and NorthStar Emergency Medical Services.

“Avoid, Deny, Defend” will be offered from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, and from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 13, in the Bass Room at Franklin Memorial Hospital. It is a one-day course being offered twice.

The course has been opened to the public to help people become aware of what they can do to protect themselves and what to do until police arrive at a shooting scene, said Detective Darin Gilbert of the Farmington Police Department.

Local emergency personnel took part in a training session last month at Franklin Memorial Hospital. 

Some case studies and information will be shared during the course and people will be given time to ask questions, he said.

In light of events that have occurred since the Columbine school shooting in Colorado in 1999, people have to consider the possibility of a shooting event happening in public places, even in rural Maine, he said.

For more information or to sign up for the course, call the Farmington Police Department at 778-6311.

Sgt. Edward Hastings, Training Officer Michael Lyman and Gilbert are certified instructors of the course. They completed Texas State University training in Portland last year.

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