Georgia District Trains Educators for Active Shooter Situations
Educators in Worth County, Ga., underwent active shooter training on Monday.
- By Jessica Davis
- March 25, 2019
Educators in Worth County, Ga., underwent active shooter training on Monday. The training was conducted by county emergency responders, including the Worth County Sheriff’s Department.
The training is designed “to test their training, their ability in the event of an active shooter both individually as well as an integrated response if, God forbid, that [were] ever to occur,” said Casey Cope, of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency’s Homeland Security.
Worth County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) staff said the goal of active shooter training was to ensure student and staff safety and to secure protocol and plans in case of emergency.
“Keep it tight with a lid on it so that you get as real world as possible," said Thomas Whittington, with Worth County Fire/Rescue and EMA. "Because when that thing really hits and you do have an active shooter, it’s real world and that’s when all of your training kicks in.”
According to officials, the training was in the planning stages for about a year.
Worth County Elementary School teacher Zachery Ward played the role of a wounded gunshot victim during the training. He said he feels more prepared now if a shooting were to happen at his school.
“[…] it really prepared me. It prepared me to think out the box, outside of my own classroom,” Ward said.
Students were not involved in Monday’s training exercise. The active shooter training was for the Worth County School system as a whole.
About the Author
Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.