Coastal Alabama Disaster Drill With Gunfire Sounds Set for Oct. 16 at Bay Minette Campus

BAY MINETTE, Ala. — A Coastal Alabama disaster drill that includes the sound of gunfire will take place on Coastal Alabama Community College’s Bay Minette campus on Friday, Oct. 16, officials said, bringing together the college’s health sciences students, campus and city police, emergency medical crews, a local hospital and Baldwin County’s 911 and emergency management agencies for a large-scale training exercise.

The exercise is scheduled from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the college’s Allied Health Building, also known as Building T. Officials announced in advance that the sound of gunfire will be part of the exercise.

Coastal Alabama disaster drill: what to know

• What: A disaster drill involving the sound of gunfire
• When: Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• Where: Allied Health Building (T), Coastal Alabama Community College, Bay Minette campus
• Who: College health sciences programs, police, EMS, hospital, 911 and emergency management partners
• Afterward: Participating agencies will hold a debriefing on the Bay Minette campus

Why the public is being told ahead of time

Because the drill will include the sound of gunfire, people who live, work or travel near the Bay Minette campus that afternoon may hear noises that sound like shots. Announcing an exercise of this kind in advance helps prevent alarm and reduces the chance of unnecessary calls to emergency dispatchers.

Officials have not released details about the scenario responders will face. Anyone near campus during the drill who sees or hears something that appears to be a genuine emergency unrelated to the exercise should still call 911.

Who is taking part

According to officials, the exercise will provide critical training to a wide range of emergency responders and future health care workers. Participants include:

Coastal Alabama health sciences programs

• Nursing
• Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
• Respiratory Therapy
• Surgical Technology
• Medical Lab Technician
• Dental Assisting

Law enforcement, medical and emergency agencies

• Coastal Alabama Police Department
• Bay Minette Police Department
• MedStar EMS
• North Baldwin Infirmary
• Baldwin County 911
• Baldwin County Emergency Management Agency (EMA)

The mix of participants reflects the full chain of an emergency response. Dispatchers at Baldwin County 911 receive emergency calls and send help; police secure the scene; EMS crews treat and transport the injured; and hospitals such as North Baldwin Infirmary, which serves the Bay Minette area, receive patients. The county EMA is responsible for coordinating among agencies during large emergencies and disasters.

Why students are part of the drill

For the college’s health sciences students, a drill like this offers a chance to practice skills in a high-pressure, realistic setting before they enter the workforce. Each program represents a different part of patient care:

• Nursing and EMS students learn to assess and treat patients, including in emergency and mass-casualty situations.
• Respiratory Therapy students focus on breathing and airway care, which can be critical for trauma patients.
• Surgical Technology students prepare to support surgical teams in the operating room.
• Medical Lab Technician students learn to perform the laboratory tests that help guide diagnosis and treatment.
• Dental Assisting students train in patient care and clinical support in dental settings.

Including several programs in one exercise also lets students see how different health care roles connect when many patients need help at once.

Why agencies run full-scale drills

Emergency agencies regularly hold exercises to test their plans and communication before a real crisis. Drills give police, medical crews, dispatchers, hospital staff and emergency managers the chance to practice working together, identify gaps in procedures and confirm that radios, notification systems and patient-tracking processes function as expected.

Exercises held on college campuses also help schools test their own emergency procedures, such as how they alert students and employees and how campus police coordinate with outside agencies.

What happens after the drill

Once the exercise ends, the participating agencies will debrief on the Bay Minette campus, officials said. Debriefings — sometimes called after-action reviews — are a standard part of emergency exercises, giving participants a chance to discuss what went well and what could be improved.

What we know and what we don’t yet

Officials have confirmed the date, time window and location of the drill, the list of participating programs and agencies, and that the sound of gunfire will be part of the exercise. They have also said the agencies will debrief on campus afterward.

Officials have not announced the specific scenario, how many people will take part, whether any roads or parking areas near the Allied Health Building will be affected, or whether regular campus activities will be adjusted that afternoon. Students, employees and visitors with questions about how the drill may affect them should check with the college directly.

About Coastal Alabama Community College

Coastal Alabama Community College is a two-year public college that serves southwest Alabama from multiple campuses, with its main campus in Bay Minette, the county seat of Baldwin County. The college offers academic transfer programs along with career and technical training, including the health sciences programs taking part in the drill.

The Bay Minette campus has been in the news recently: the college has begun restoring and modernizing several of its historic Bay Minette campus buildings, and it recently signed a transfer agreement with the University of Mobile for future teachers.