SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) – Educators and emergency personnel from across the state are gathered at the Savannah Convention Center to collaborate and discuss school safety in Georgia.
Over the next two days, attendees, including teachers, administrators and school resource officers, will receive training to help keep students safe in the upcoming school year.
The conference is a joint effort between the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency and Georgia Department of Education.
Training topics
Trainings range from Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management and active shooter response to mental health awareness.
State leaders say keeping kids safe has always been their top priority, but following the Apalachee High School shooting two years ago, sweeping school safety measures have been implemented across the state, including the required installation of panic alert buttons.
More recently, legislators approved a statewide phone ban for K through 12 schools. State Superintendent of Schools Richard Woods said the ban will not only improve classroom performance but also give students more opportunities to connect with fellow classmates.
Woods said there are several initiatives the state is continuing to push for, such as having a School Resource Officer in every school. SROs are part of the front line of defense in an emergency and can even prevent threats from becoming realities.
“Our kids know a lot, and I think that’s part of the preparation,” Woods said. “When you build relationships that build trust, then these young people, when they know something, they’re going to say something. And that allows us, you know, just to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to be on the proactive side.”
Safety technology on display
Over 35 vendors are at the conference to demonstrate how their safety technology works, from physical devices like locks and barricades to AI software capable of detecting weapons.
State agencies stress that while safety technology is important, the people using it need to know how it works for it to be effective.
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