MEDIA ADVISORY – RSVP REQUESTED

Natick Police and Fire Departments Invite Media Outlets to Attend Large-Scale Critical Incident Training Exercise at Natick Mall

Media Availability Between 6:30-8:30 p.m. Sunday, June 2

NATICK — Police Chief James Hicks and Fire Chief Michael Lentini would like to invite media members to attend a large-scale critical incident response training exercise at the Natick Mall this weekend.

The simulation will involve multiple assailants (actors) who enter the Natick Mall after wounding a security officer. The assailants will then move through the mall inflicting harm on patrons and employees while law enforcement and public safety entities respond.

Please note: All reporters and photographers interested in attending the portion of the exercise open to the media are asked to RSVP in advance with the names of the people who will be attending. They will need to check in prior to the beginning of the exercise before to being allowed into the simulation site staging area.

WHEN:

The simulation exercise will be held from 6:30-11 p.m., Sunday, June 2
Media availability will be from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Media setup – 6:30 p.m.
Exercise begins at 7 p.m. sharp
Police Chief Hicks and Fire Chief Lentini will address the media at approximately 8 p.m.
A simulated press conference, which is part of the training exercise, will be held at 10:30 p.m. at the Incident Control Station at the Massachusetts Parole Board, located at 12 Mercer Road, near the mall.

WHERE:

Media staging will be at the Cloverleaf Mall shopping plaza, 321 Speen St., in the parking lot outside of Ethan Allen.

From that vantage point, cameras will be able to get footage of the beginning of the simulation, where the suspects (actors) will be entering the Natick Mall and local law enforcement will be responding to the scene.

WHAT:

One video pool photographer and one still pool photographer will be allowed inside of the mall to get footage of the simulation from 7-7:30 p.m. They will be directed where to go by an on-site official and should check-in with JGPR by 6:30 p.m. The TV media outlet that serves as the pool must agree to take part in the simulated press conference at 10:30 p.m. (Other outlets that wish to take part in this portion of the event are invited to do so, as well). The first TV and print media outlets to request to be the pool will be granted access.

At approximately 8 p.m., Police Chief Hicks and Fire Chief Lentini will meet the media staged in the Ethan Allen parking lot for an on-camera interview.

Following the interview with the chiefs, media outlets are welcomed to remain in the staging area for broadcasting purposes.

Media members are asked to not go outside of the staging area while the simulation is ongoing.

Those who are planning to take part in the simulated press conference at 10:30 p.m. can move their vehicles to the LA Fitness parking lot, Sherwood Plaza, 1 Dean Road when they wish to do so. The 10:30 p.m. press conference will be held outside of the nearby Incident Control Station, weather pending.

To RSVP, please email both Ben Paulin at ben@jgpr.net and Natick Police Sgt. Brett Conaway at conaway@natickpolice.com and indicate which portion of the event you are planning to cover.

If you have any further questions, please contact Ben Paulin at 781-428-3299.

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