In order for the emergency scenario to seem as real as possible, everyone played a part at Tuesday's drill. WVU-P staff members played shooting victims as well as hostages.

"The scenario we have here is we have an active shooter, he has wounded 5 people. I think we have two casualties right now. So, we're testing the SWAT team's response, how long it takes them to come from Parkersburg, out here, to get set up," says Director of Facility and Safety at WVU-P, Dave White.

The emergency responders didn't know what the situation would entail, so they were being tested on how they would handle a real life incident.

They invited several emergency responders from the valley, including West Virginia State Police.

"It's better to actually practice something and walk through it if it should ever happen, than to go into it cold. A lot of the police officers have probably never even been in this college so it's good for that, and to actually do it, for practice," says 1st Sergeant Eric Ashcraft, West Virginia State Police.

Officials can never be too prepared for this type of situation, that's why WVU Parkersburg is taking steps to be ready.

"I think, for one thing, it gives us a reputation that we care, we want that message sent out to the community that we want to be trained, we want to be a safe place for students to come and faculty to teach, and staff to work," says White.

Local agencies and WVU-P students and staff got a first hand experience and the needed practice for an emergency situation they hope will never happen on their campus.