CNU to hold ‘full-scale’ critical incident drill Wednesday

Christopher Newport University will hold a “critical incident” drill on campus from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday. The drill will be a full-scale exercise with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the city of Newport News and other state and local agencies.

The drill is to ensure that first responders can work together effectively in the event of a violent incident, according to a news release from the university.

The exercise will be held near McMurran Hall and involve the firing of blanks, actors in makeup who appear injured and the activation of the emergency notification system — including a siren — to signal the start and finish of the drill.

The university asks anyone on or near campus during the drill not to post misleading photos or information on social media to avoid alarming the community.

Nour Habib, nour.habib@virginiamedia.com