The City of Winder’s public safety agencies participated in a multi-agency, full-scale exercise at Russell Middle School during the teacher planning day last month.
This full-scale exercise strengthened the whole community by proactively practicing efforts to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from all types of hazards.
This ambitious project represents a year-long effort in planning and coordination among multiple local and regional agencies, including Winder Fire, Barrow Fire, Barrow EMA, the Barrow 911 Center, Winder Police, the Barrow County Sheriff's Office, NGHS-Barrow Paramedics, Barrow County Schools, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), and other partners.
According to Winder Police Captain Chris Cooper, the exercise was designed to simulate a highly realistic active shooter scenario. “Our primary goal for all the agencies participating is to enhance the readiness and response capabilities of our personnel. We were able to take advantage of a teacher workday and use actual school buildings for a more realistic approach.”
Winder Fire Department also took part in the exercise, and according to Captain Jimmy Beck, the collaboration and dedication of all agencies involved reinforce our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our community. Beck said, “We appreciate the cooperation and support of the Barrow County School System for allowing this exercise to take place in school facilities, and with the cooperation of the multiple agencies.”