On Tuesday, November 24th, Southern Regional Technical College (SRTC) will conduct a scheduled armed intruder drill. The drill will define procedures that school officials are to implement in the case of an armed intruder entering the campus. This will be a comprehensive emergency management simulation orchestrated in conjunction with the Tift County Emergency Management Agency, Tift County Sherriff’s Department, Tift County Police Department, ABAC Police Department, Tift County 911 Call Center, Tift County EMS, AIREVAC, Henry Tift Myers Airport, Tift Regional Medical Center, and the Tift County Fire Department. This drill will give SRTC and all associated emergency response personnel an opportunity to identify areas of improvement and make necessary adjustments.
“Although we hope that none of us will ever have to use the knowledge that will be gained through this type of realistic drill, it is our responsibility to ensure that our students, faculty, and staff have the opportunity to experience such a simulation annually in order to practice procedures and steps that could keep them from being harmed if such an emergency occurred in their lives in the future. In light of incidents that have occurred at schools, businesses, and even military installations over the past few years, it is incumbent for our College to have this drill. I believe our institution will be better prepared to handle this type of event having experienced a simulation of this magnitude,” commented SRTC President Dr. Craig Wentworth.
Though mass casualty and armed intruder incidents are not occurring any more frequently than they have in the past, casualties per incident have increased in recent years. Historically these events create victims in the first few seconds before the police have time to respond. The objective of this simulation drill is to train students, faculty, and staff with initial actions they can take to make a difference and potentially save lives in the crucial moments before emergency services personnel arrive.
“While it is our hope and belief that an armed intruder incident is unlikely at SRTC, we understand it is prudent to conduct appropriate training. Therefore, we have coordinated with a comprehensive group of local law enforcement agencies and emergency management personnel to create a drill that will prepare us to react properly in the event an armed intruder was to appear on one of our campuses. The ultimate goal is for this drill to provide feedback we can use to improve and ensure the safety of everyone on all of our SRTC instructional sites,” said Steve Peacock, SRTC Facilities Director and Campus Safety and Security Coordinator.
After the simulation is complete and the “all clear” has been given, college administration will have a debriefing session with all law enforcement agencies involved. This examination of the College’s performance during the drill will be analyzed to identify SRTC with specific areas that need to be addressed to make SRTC as safe as possible for all students, faculty, and staff.
SRTC offers over 155 degree, diploma, and certificate programs that are designed to get you quickly into your desired career, and 27 general education courses that transfer to the University System of Georgia institutions and 19 private colleges and universities in Georgia. SRTC has instructional sites located in Ashburn, Cairo, Camilla, Moultrie, Thomasville, Tifton, and Sylvester for the convenience of our students. The College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). SACSCOC is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. For the most up-to-date information on registration, class dates, and program offerings, log on to www.southernregional.edu.
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