GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Medical professionals need to be prepared for high-stress situations, and Community Hospital is making sure its staff can tackle anything, including an active shooter scenario.

The hospital conducted an emergency preparedness exercise imitating an active shooter scenario at a local movie theater.

This exercise is designed to test health care and medical response coordination in high-pressure situations.

During the mock scenario, nursing students from Colorado Mesa University acted as patients suffering from a variety of wounds. While medical professionals treated the actor/patients, administrators put the hospital in a mock lock-down.

I came from a big city and this stuff happens.The scariest part is…it’s happening more in smaller cities.

Eric Thomas, Community Hopsital Nurse

Eric has experienced a real active shooter situation. He explains how working in an emergency room is always fast-paced, but when an active shooter element is added, stress levels can sky-rocket.