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Ferndale police advise of trainings at Horizon Middle School throughout June

Students at Horizon Middle School, Cascadia Elementary and Eagleridge Elementary complained of a foul odor Thursday. The schools are within a ¼-mile radius of each other.
Students at Horizon Middle School, Cascadia Elementary and Eagleridge Elementary complained of a foul odor Thursday. The schools are within a ¼-mile radius of each other. The Bellingham Herald file

The Ferndale Police Department is advising community members to expect increased emergency vehicle activity around Horizon Middle School as the department conducts active shooter and mass casualty response training this month.

The department said officers will be training with Whatcom County Fire District 7 medics at the middle school on Thursday evenings throughout June. The training sessions will start during the “early evening hours” and should wrap up by 8 p.m.

The Ferndale Police Department said on Facebook that officers will use blank ammunition indoors as part of the training, though it is unlikely anything will be heard outside the building.

A different police training on Ferndale School District property about a year ago was unannounced and prompted concern from community members, particularly parents of students. The district and the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office issued a joint statement and apology after Whatcom County’s Specialized Weapons and Tactics team held a training on a school bus on Ferndale High School property during the school day, calling the incident a “miscommunication.”

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Hannah Edelman
The Bellingham Herald
Hannah Edelman joined The Bellingham Herald in January 2025 as courts and investigations reporter. Edelman resides in Burlington. Support my work with a digital subscription
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