On Sunday, November 3, the City of Katy and Katy Mills conducted a full-scale active threat training at Katy Mills, located at 5000 Katy Mills Circle in Katy. “Scheduled weeks in advance, this training will test the emergency response plans and procedures of all participating agencies,” said the official press release from the city, which was posted on the city’s website on November 3.

The training began at 6 p.m. and lasted approximately four hours until 10 p.m. “The public should be aware that the training is a simulated event and not a real emergency,” the press release said. “This training is not in response to any known threat and was planned over one month ago.”

The training is being conducted by the City of Katy and Katy Mills to ensure that emergency responders are prepared to respond to any emergency situation in a professional and effective manner. Katy Mills conducts active threat training annually as well as other safety meetings and demonstrations with retailers throughout the year. The security program at Katy Mills is Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Safety Act Certified, which recognizes events like this training and others to safeguard the public.

The primary objective of the training is to evaluate the effectiveness of emergency response plans and procedures in response to an active threat. The training will also assess the coordination and communication among Katy Mills’ personnel, emergency responders, and law enforcement, as well as the ability of emergency responders to provide medical aid.

The public should be aware that training of this type may involve the use of simulated weapons and the presence of emergency response vehicles and personnel. Residents and visitors were encouraged to avoid the training area during the exercise to minimize distractions and ensure the safety of all participants. “The public may notice an increased presence of emergency response vehicles and personnel in the area during the training,” said the press release.

For more information on this training, please contact Bryon Woytek, Police Chief, Katy Police Dept. at 281-391-4786 or bwoytek@katypd.com or reach out to Kenneth Parker Fire Chief, Katy Fire Dept. at 281-574-8643 or kparker@cityofkaty.com.