A heart-stopping message rumbled through Seal Beach and north Huntington Beach at around 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2.
Residents could not quite make out the warning, except for a few alarming words — “active shooter” and “lockdown.” Also, the alert sounded like it might be coming from a police car loudspeaker.
Some residents called the Seal Beach Police Department or 911. Some, seeking answers, logged on social media. Some scrambled to lock their doors.
“I heard something like ‘all personnel remain in lockdown,’” a man posted on a local Facebook page.
“Stay inside until the situation is resolved,” a woman advised on the Nextdoor site.
Fortunately, the only crisis was that lots of folks had missed the memo.
The Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station is participating in a nationwide security exercise that started Jan. 26 and continues through Feb. 12. Training includes a wide range of drills related to potential security threats, including active shooters.
“We sent out press releases and emails and posted information on Facebook,” said Gregg Smith, spokesman for the Seal Beach base.
During Tuesday’s drill, the Naval Station used what it calls its “Giant Voice” – a booming loudspeaker that reverberates several miles in all directions.
The practice May Day, Smith said, began and closed with a reassuring : “Exercise! Exercise! Exercise!” However, that explanation got muffled or misunderstood, especially in neighborhoods furthest from the base.
“We make every effort to alert residents in advance about our exercises, but not everybody learns about them,” Smith said. “It’s always the way.”
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February 03, 2021 at 05:57AM
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Active shooter in Seal Beach? Nope, that was a Navy base drill - OCRegister
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