In the wake of a mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub that killed 49 people and wounded dozens more, the Chattahoochee Technical College Police Department will be offering free Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events training seminars at the Woodstock and North Metro campuses.
By providing strategies and guidance, the free training sessions are intended to educate civilians on what they should do if faced with an active shooter event.
“The active shooter event that occurred in Orlando is a true tragedy, and our country continues to mourn those whose lives were unjustly taken. As the nation begins to pick up the pieces, it is critical that civilians remember the importance of having a plan in place for surviving an active shooter attack. A simple plan could substantially increase a person’s chance of surviving such an attack,” CTC Police Chief Charles Spann said.
As Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council-certified officers, Chattahoochee Technical College campus police conduct force-on-force training twice a year. To ensure civilians are also prepared for active shooter incidents, the department will offer free training sessions at the North Metro Campus, located at 5198 Ross Road in Acworth, on July 30, and the Woodstock Campus, located at 8371 Main St., on Aug. 26.
On each day, participants can attend either a seminar that will run from 10 a.m. to noon or a second seminar from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The training sessions are designed and built on the Avoid, Deny, Defend strategy developed by ALERRT in 2004. Topics include the history and prevalence of active shooter events, the role of professional guardians, civilian response options, medical issues and drills.