Atlanta’s HBCUs staff train on how to respond to active shooter situation

ATLANTA – Leaders from a number of of Atlanta’s prime traditionally black schools and college got here collectively on Wednesday for energetic shooter coaching train.

Atlanta College Middle Consortium joined forces with native legislation enforcement and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Safety Company, the arm of the Division of Homeland Safety tasked with enhancing cyber and infrastructure safety, for a table-top train.

The aim was to share finest practices, enhance inter-agency coordination, and to grasp the roles of every when responding to a doable energetic shooter state of affairs.

“This community-wide train ought to reassure our dad and mom, college students, employees, and different constituencies that we place their security as a prime precedence as we be taught, work, and thrive on the Atlanta College Middle,” stated Dr. Michael Hodge, Government Director for the Atlanta College Middle Consortium.

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Wednesday’s train doesn’t stem from any particular threats, however comes amid outrage at current mass shootings throughout the U.S. These embody a racist assault final month that killed 10 Black individuals at a Buffalo, New York, grocery store, and the taking pictures deaths Might 24 of 19 youngsters and two adults at an Uvalde, Texas, elementary college during which the gunman was killed. In Southern California, one particular person was killed and 5 injured Might 15 after a person authorities say was motivated by hatred of Taiwan opened hearth on Taiwanese parishioners. Additionally, simply final week, a gunman opened hearth at an Alabama church killing three individuals.

It additionally comes after a sequence of bomb threats at HBCUs throughout the nation earlier this 12 months, together with a number of in Atlanta. CISA advisors have been working with HBCU leaders on addressing potential threats and growing safety and potential response since these threats.

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“Universities must be protected areas the place college students can give attention to studying and making ready for his or her futures,” stated Dr. David Mussington, CISA’s Government Assistant Director for Infrastructure Safety. “Within the wake of mass shootings throughout the nation, we should do the whole lot we are able to to maintain our campuses safe. Following at present’s train, Atlanta’s HBCUs and our first response companions are higher ready to coordinate collectively if a real-world state of affairs have been to happen.”

Atlanta’s HBCUs are uniquely located that permits them to pool assets on account of location.

“The shut geolocated campuses of the AUC create, in apply, one giant campus neighborhood.  The collaboration and shut engagement of the campuses and our companions locally continues to supply a protected and safe setting,” stated Dr. Hodge.

Clark Atlanta College, Morehouse School, Morehouse Faculty of Medication, Spelman School, Morris Brown School, AUC Robert Woodruff Library and the Interdenominational Theological Middle all participated in Wednesday’s train.

That is the second time this 12 months CISA has held a table-top train with Atlanta HBCUs.

The Related Press contributed to this report