Emergency manager magazine, Winter 2004

Emergency
MANAGER

WINTER 2004
New! EMAG Corner
Georgia Gears Up for G8 Summit
Preparing for Winter Weather
A Day in the Life of a School Resource Officer

Emergency Manager is the official magazine of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency
Lisa Janak, Editor
Honorable Sonny Perdue Governor
Mike Sherberger Director
Lisa Ray Public Affairs Director
Ken Davis Public Affairs Officer
Buzz Weiss Public Affairs Coordinator
Lisa Janak Multi-Media Coordinator
Jennifer Collins Constituent Services
Coordinator
Katherine Huggins Public Information Specialist
Published by the Georgia Emergency Management Agency Post Office Box 18055 Atlanta, Georgia 30316
PHONE 1-800-TRY-GEMA
(404) 635-7000 FAX (404) 635-7205
Web site www.gema.state.ga.us

From the Director
No Time to Savor Success
Ithink we have all grown accustomed to taking stock at the end of the year, then looking ahead and trying to predict the challenges and demands that the new year will bring. But I'm not so sure that New Year's Day is a meaningful line of demarcation any more, because our tasks and our missions have become ongoing. They evolve as we carry them out, and often take us in new directions. We do not have the time to stop, take stock and admire our work.
Our current initiatives illustrate that point. This year we have continued to administer homeland security grants that will provide millions of dollars worth of critical equipment to first responders throughout the state. We will see additional grants next year, and, as they are disbursed, we will forge ahead in collaboration with local public safety leaders to identify their needs, establish reasonable priorities, set measurable goals and ensure that our efforts are guided by mission, not money.
Planning for the G8 Conference at Sea Island, an event that will attract global attention and demand our very best, has been under way for months. Those efforts will continue right up until the close of the talks. Then, we will catch our collective breath and begin the process of evaluating how we performed. And we will apply the lessons we learned to further enhance the safety of our citizens.
Preparation for the 2004 Governor's Emergency Management Conference began within days after last year's symposium ended and is progressing well. The conference will focus both on what we have accomplished and on what is yet to be done. And we are making a special effort to make sure that there will be something to benefit or better everyone who participates, regardless of his or her discipline or area of expertise.
These are challenging times. I have seen what we can accomplish through collaboration and candor. And I am looking forward to what we face together.

1

Winter 2004 EMERGENCY MANAGER

Exceptional EMA

Lowndes County 9-1-1/Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Keith "Nick" Lacey has developed a reputation for being one of the most proactive and forward-thinking EMA directors in Georgia.
Case in point: He was the driving force behind two major long-term projects that culminated this year. The first was the installation of Lowndes County's new 800 MHz, trunked, digital simulcast voice and data radio system. This state-ofthe-art, interoperable communications system helps not only the Lowndes County 9-1-1/Emergency Management Center, but also all response agencies.
"It enables responding units from one agency to communicate with other units, uses less radio spectrum, doesn't get disrupted by weather, and there's not as much interference," says Lacey, who also is a member of the Lowndes County 9-1-1 Advisory Committee, which spearheaded this program.
The second endeavor was receiving public safety communications accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement (CALEA). "This was a most difficult undertaking that we worked on for about five years," says Lacey. "But it was a huge success." The Lowndes County 9-1-1/Emergency Management Center is one of two 9-1-1 communications center in Georgia to receive CALEA accreditation.
These two ventures may have come to fruition, but there is still a lot on Lacey's plate. He is chairman of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency's (GEMA) Area 2 All-Hazards Council, which is working to review counties' applications for grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Domestic Preparedness.
"Planning, equipping and training to prepare, respond and recover from potential Weapons of Mass Destruction attacks are our greatest and most serious challenges," says Lacey. "Terrorism is not just a big city problem. Terrorism is a possibility here."
He points out that, like the rest of the country, Lowndes County's rural areas and municipalities are vulnerable to ter-

rorism. "Most of our insti-

tutions and economy were

built on the principles of

openness, freedom of asso-

ciation, effectiveness and

efficiency. These organiza-

tions were not designed to

provide protection from a

terrorist, bent on destroy-

ing our institutions and

freedoms," he says. "We

need to work through the

evolutionary changes with-

out bankrupting our

community."

In addition to the

threat of man-made disas-

ters, Lowndes County lies

within the devastating Lowndes County EMA Director Nick Lacey

footprint of strong hurri-

canes approaching from the Gulf of StormReady, a community must first meet

Mexico. The county is also vulnerable to rigorous guidelines that help strengthen

tornadoes. "However, normally, these are local safety efforts. "Being able to moni-

of the weak variety," says Lacey.

tor approaching dangerous storms and

Although hurricanes and tornadoes getting the word to the community

receive a lot of attention, thunderstorms through commercial media is an impor-

and lightning occur most often in the tant aspect of prevention," says Lacey.

United States, and are far more

The county also distributed National

dangerous. "Day in and day out, our most Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA)

frequent natural risks are thunderstorms Weather Radios to public buildings as part

with life-threatening lightning and strong of a GEMA hazard mitigation project.

winds," Lacey declares. These storms NOAA Weather Radio is a government-

may bring torrential rains and localized operated radio system that provides

flooding. Fortunately, however, county round-the-clock weather information

leaders have worked to ensure that resi- local emergency management and public

dents will not have to suffer from repeat- safety officials can use to activate local

ed river flooding.

warning systems.

"For several decades, far-sighted

As a former U.S. Air Force officer,

Boards of Commissioners, City Councils Lacey was involved with disaster preven-

and Planning Commissioners put appro- tion, mitigation, response and recovery

priate land-use codes in place and did not for many years before becoming EMA

allow people to build homes and busi- director in 1996. For instance, he was

nesses in floodplains," says Lacey. "Our defense and air attach for the American

leaders' farsightedness saved taxpayers Embassy in London when Pan American

millions of dollars over the years. So you 103 exploded over Scotland, and was part

see, disaster prevention is not just an of the emergency response team. He also

EMA director's job," he concludes.

was head exercise coordinator for a major

But if it takes a village to prevent dis- international nuclear weapons accident

aster, the village needs an EMA director exercise and director of inspections for

to lead the way. Lacey works constantly the U.S. Air Force, Europe.

to make his community more disaster

Becoming EMA director was a natu-

resistant by participating in programs ral step for Lacey after his Air Force

such as StormReady, an initiative of the career ended. "It is my way of making a

National Weather Service in partnership contribution to the communities that I

with GEMA. To be designated as serve," he says.

Lisa Janak

EMERGENCY MANAGER Winter 2004

2

In Brief

GEMA Personnel Assist NC

Six GEMA staffers traveled to North Carolina in October 2003 to assist the victims of Hurricane Isabel. The personnel were provided under the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, and were assigned to help implement the community outreach and individual assistance programs.
"We feel strongly about assisting our neighboring state," says GEMA Director Mike Sherberger. "We realize that if Mother Nature had taken a different path, Georgia could have been devastated by Hurricane Isabel. Participating in North

Carolina's disaster recovery efforts not

only gave us the opportunity to assist the

victims, but provided GEMA staff mem-

bers with first-hand experience on how a

federal disaster program is implemented."

After slamming its way into North

Carolina with 100 mph winds, Hurricane

Isabel swept northwesterly, hitting

Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland,

Delaware, New Jersey, New York,

Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and the

District of Columbia. Thirty people were

killed, and millions were left without

power.



Search and Rescue Dog Honored

Region 8 Gets HAZMAT Team

The Douglas Fire Department in Coffee County is host to the new Area 8 All-hazards Council

regional HAZMAT team.

Area 8 was long overdue for a

regional HAZMAT team. While each of

its 21 counties has a different level of

response to a hazardous materials event,

none has a team capable of responding to

a large-scale event.

The Area 8 HAZMAT team was

funded by a $300,000 grant, of which

$216,000 will go toward equipment and

training. The terms of the grant dictate that

the team respond to all WMD incidents in

Area 8, and also be available to respond to

other routine HAZMAT incidents in the

region. Eventually, each county will have

two HAZMAT technicians.

Douglas was chosen as the site for the

regional team because it is centrally

located in Region 8 and it already has

HAZMAT equipment and technicians.

Area 8 includes Appling, Atkinson,

Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Bleckley,

Clinch, Coffee, Dodge, Echols, Irwin, Jeff

Davis, Lanier, Montgomery, Pulaski,

Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Ware, Wheeler

and Wilcox counties.



Brooke, the 8-year-old German Shepherd K-9 partner of GEMA area school safety coordinator Tracy Sargent, was inducted into the Georgia Animal Hall of Fame in a ceremony in Macon in October. Brooke was recognized as a canine hero for locating a lost hunter several years ago, and for her more than seven years of service searching for missing persons not only

in Georgia, but as far away as Mexico

and Ecuador. Sargent and Brooke are

members of the elite 1st Special

Response Group, a California-based

volunteer search and rescue organiza-

tion, and they have been deployed at the

request of the U.S. State Department.

The Hall of Fame is sponsored by the

Georgia Veterinary Medicine

Association.



3

2004 Severe Weather

Awareness Week

The week of February 22-28,

2004, has been declared Severe

Weather Awareness Week in Georgia.

The purpose of the week is to

encourage all Georgians to learn and

practice emergency preparedness and

response procedures for a variety of

severe weather events such as floods,

hurricanes, lightning, thunderstorms,

tornadoes, and winter storms.

Georgians are encouraged to review

their family disaster plans and create

a disaster supplies kit. For more

information

visit

www.gema.state.ga.us.



Winter 2004 EMERGENCY MANAGER

Gwinnett Skywarn Takes Flight with Skyplane

Gwinnett Skywarn, the volunteer group trained by the National Weather Service (NWS) to be its "eyes and ears" when severe weather threatens, has a new tool at its disposal. The Flight School of Gwinnett, Inc., has donated the use of an airplane, which can be activated 24/7 to assess storm damage.
"Damage assessment is very important to emergency management and NWS, and now we can assist in this area," says A.J. Harrison, emergency coordinator for Gwinnett Skywarn.
The plane also can be deployed to help in the search for a missing child, although it cannot be activated for an abduction. The group has a camera equipped with night vision and a 700X zoom lens to assist in their efforts.

"The camera is so powerful you can

look through the lens in a pitch-black

bedroom and read every word on a label

of a bottle of aspirin from across the

room!" exclaims Harrison.

SkyPlane services are available to

communities within an 80-mile range of

Gwinnett County. To activate the

SkyPlane for storm damage assessment

(Condition Orange) or to locate a missing

child (Condition Purple), contact

Gwinnett County Emergency

Management Agency Director Frank

Daniell at (678) 344-0888.

Gwinnett Skywarn also provides a

free e-mail and telephone weather alert

system to the public. To subscribe to this

service, or for more information about

Gwinnett County SkyWarn, visit

www.gwinnettskywarn.com.



Columbia County's Customer Service
Plan is in Place
Columbia County officials have established an innovative 24-hour one-stop Customer Service and Information Center that county residents can call for general information or to make service requests or reports to any agency, ranging from dead animals to abandoned vehicles, water or sewer leaks, to broken street lights. The service and information center is a division of the county's Emergency Services Agency.
"With our Customer Service and Information Call Center located inside the emergency operations center (EOC), we have a built-in emergency information network of trained personnel and telephones to help with the surge of calls that come into the EOC," says Emergency Services Director Pam Tucker.

More Georgia Communities are StormReady

The list of StormReady counties in Georgia continues to grow. There are now 43 communities designated as StormReady. Counties added last year are Berrien, Carroll, Cobb, Dodge, Evans, Lowndes, McDuffie, Muscogee, Screven, Tattnall, Troup and Wayne.
Pictured from right to left at the September 2, 2003, StormReady presentation in Dodge County are: Don Ross, Dodge County commissioner; Lans

Rothfusz, meteorologist-in-charge, National Weather Service (NWS); Barry Gooden, warning coordination meteorologist, NWS; Diane May, Georgia Emergency Management Agency area field coordinator; Willard Fish, Dodge County commissioner; Millard Joiner, director, Dodge County Emergency Management Agency (EMA); Bobby Peacock, Chairman; Kelly Bowen, Dodge County commissioner; Larry Mullis,

Dodge County commissioner; and

Stanley Stephens, deputy director of

Dodge County EMA.

StormReady is a NWS program

designed to recognize counties that have

reached a high level of severe weather

preparedness. The criteria for eligibility

include a 24-hour warning point and an

emergency operations center, multiple

ways to receive NWS warnings, and local

weather monitoring capabilities.



EMERGENCY MANAGER Winter 2004

4

2003 Public Safety Award Winners

Recipients of the 2003 Public Safety Awards pose proudly with Governor Sonny Perdue. In the category of Acts of Heroism, the winners were Victor Azar, Artis Daniel, Shonda Hightower and Ronald Usher, 9-1-1 Communications, Fulton County 9-1-1; Freddy Arencibia, Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, Calhoun Police Department; Phillip Anthony Dixon, Georgia Association of Fire Chiefs, Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Service; George

Miller, Jr., Georgia Sheriffs' Association, Richmond County Sheriff's Office; Stacey Stone, State Agency Recipient, Georgia Department of Corrections. In the category of Outstanding Contribution to Profession, the winners were: William G. Gordon, 91-1 Communications, Atlanta Police Department; Ron Widener, Emergency Management Association of Georgia, Toombs County Emergency Management Agency; Dr. Allen McCullough, Emergency Medical

Services (EMS), Fayette County

Division of Public Safety; Bobby

Moody, Georgia Association of Chiefs

of Police, Marietta Police Department;

James Hansford, Georgia Association of

Fire Chiefs, Georgia Firefighter

Standards and Training Council;

Thomas Smith, Georgia Sheriffs'

Association, Washington County

Sheriff's Office; Karen Bowens, Robert

Eady, Anthony Mazza and Willie J.

Rutland, State Agency Recipients, State

Board of Pardons and Paroles.



Hurricanes Pass Georgia by in 2003

The 2003 Atlantic hurricane season was a busy one, but it ended November 30 on a good note for Georgia, without a major storm even touching the coast.

Only five hurricanes have struck Georgia's coast since 1900. In 1898, a hurricane came ashore near Cumberland Island, killing 179 people and sending a 16-foot storm surge into downtown

CSX Railroad's Operation Lifesaver program sponsored a full-scale exercise in Coffee County in September. The exercise scenario centered on a fatal accident involving a locomotive and tankers carrying three different hazardous materials. A total of 13 agencies, representing state and local responders, the private sector and volunteers, participated.

Brunswick. Most recently, Hurricane

David hit Savannah in 1979 as a Category

1 storm, with 80 mph winds. Hurricane

Isabel, which hit North Carolina's Outer

Banks on September 18 as a Category 2

storm with 100 mph winds, came closest

to Georgia's 125-mile coastline.

During the 2003 season there were

14 named storms, seven of which were

hurricanes, including three major

hurricanes. That is higher than the yearly

average of 10 named storms, six of which

are hurricanes, including two major

hurricanes.

In addition, three storms formed out-

side the official season. Tropical Storm

Ana was the first tropical storm on record

to form in the Atlantic during the month

of April. Tropical storms Odette and Peter

formed in December, after the season

officially concluded. According to the

Weather Channel, since 1970, only five

tropical systems have existed during the

month of December.



5

Winter 2004 EMERGENCY MANAGER

EMAG Corner

While I was in Toombs County

for

the

Emergency

Management Association of

Georgia (EMAG) Area 8 meeting, I had

the opportunity to speak with with long-

time Toombs County Emergency

Management Agency (EMA) Director

Ron Widener. The conversation quickly

turned from Vidalia's famous onions to

emergency management after Mr. Ron, as

he is affectionately known, lamented that

the profession has come full circle.

He is right!

Many state emergency management

agencies began as civil defense organiza-

tions, tasked with providing security for

their communities in the face of the

nuclear arms race. Over the years this role

expanded, and they began responding to,

planning for, recovering from and miti-

gating against natural disasters. After the

Columbine incident in April 1999, focus

was shifted to school safety. Now, in the

Captain Pete Nelms, past president, Emergency Management Association of Georgia.
aftermath of September 11, emergency management agencies are once again dealing with issues of homeland security. Truly full circle!

Cartoon by Ed Westbrook, Jasper County EMA Director

EMERGENCY MANAGER Winter 2004

There has never been a greater opportunity in our profession than right now, particularly in the ever-evolving arena of homeland security. You are encouraged to get involved in the homeland security process in your community. For suggestions on how to create a homeland security program in your community visit EMAG's Web site at www.emagonline.com

Advisory committee There is great excitement regarding
the new Advisory Committee, a collaborative effort between EMAG and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) to generate ideas to improve our profession. Please get involved. This is an opportunity for us all to improve emergency management in many areas throughout the state.

Raise the bar

The current trend in emergency man-

agement is to increase professionalism.

We as emergency managers need to raise

the bar in our chosen profession by

achieving a higher standard through

increased and more diverse training and

education.

Another initiative that is under way is

Emergency Management Accreditation

Program (EMAP) for local organizations.

This program was explained in detail at

our annual conference in November.

Applications are being accepted for those

agencies that are up to the challenge. It is

often said that there is no benefit to being

an accredited organization. Not true! Let

me count the ways:

Compares your organization to

national standards

Serves as a bench mark for

improvement of your organization

Improves your organization's image

and community

Provides an in-depth study of your

organization

Outlines strengths and weaknesses in

your EMA program

Creates consistency among

organizations



*Congratulations to Frank Daniell, new president of EMAG.
6

GEMA Communications Awarded CALEA Certification
By Vernon Gillenwater Communications Officer

The Georgia Emergency Management Agency's (GEMA) combined communications center was awarded accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) in March 2003. The accreditation, a highly prized recognition of public safety agencies, gives GEMA the distinction of being the first state emergency management agency in the nation to achieve this honor.
To pursue CALEA accreditation, an agency must be either a government entity or a private agency with mandated law enforcement responsibilities. GEMA began the accreditation process more than two years ago.
Accreditation standards provide a proven management system of written directives, sound training, clearly defined lines of authority, and routine reports that support decision-making and resource allocation, says State Operations Director Dan Brown. Not only did CALEA assessors examine all aspects of the GEMA combined communication center's written operational guidelines, the assessment team also conducted an extensive threeday on-site review of the agency.
"The accreditation process underscores our agency's commitment to excellence in leadership, resource management
7

and service-delivery," says GEMA Director Mike Sherberger. "We feel that our many customers are now more confident in our communications center's capabilities to meet and respond to their needs."
CALEA was created in 1979 through the combined efforts of four major law enforcement organizations: the International Association of Chiefs of Police, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, National Sheriff's Association and Police Executive Research Forum. This Commission was formed to develop a set of law enforcement standards and to establish and administer an accreditation process through which law enforcement agencies could demonstrate voluntarily that they meet professionally recognized criteria for excellence in management and service delivery.
GEMA's combined communications center operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and handled more than 300,000 calls during FY 2003. Besides GEMA, the center serves the following agencies:

Georgia Department of Natural Resources

(DNR) Wildlife Division, DNR

Environmental Protection Division,

Department of Defense, Department of

Transportation, Georgia Office of

Homeland Security, Division of Public

Health, Georgia Information Sharing and

Analysis Center and Infragard,

"Achieving accreditation for the cen-

ter has increased the professionalism,

knowledge and comradeship among

GEMA communications officers," says

Brown. "The process has also served to

involve communications officers in a

greater degree of decision making and

functional operations of the communica-

tions center. We have all developed a

greater sense of pride in knowing that we

are operating at a high degree of profes-

sionalism and providing our agencies and

the people of Georgia with the best serv-

ice available."

Accreditation is an ongoing process.

Since the GEMA's combined

communications center is coming up for

review again in 2006, the center must

continue to operate at this higher standard

of service to maintain CALEA

accreditation. For more information on

CALEA and the accreditation process,

visit the commission's Web site at

http://www.calea.org/index.htm.



Winter 2004 EMERGENCY MANAGER

One Plan That Bombed (and made Georgia better as a result)
By Andrew A. Altizer Lead Terrorism Planner

Establishing bomb response capabilities is a cost-prohibitive endeavor for most municipalities. However, galvanized by funding from the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Domestic Preparedness (ODP) and a partnership between the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), Georgia now has a first-class program in place designed to serve local enforcement agencies statewide.
"Georgia has had bomb response capabilities in place since 1989," says GBI Director Vernon Keenan. "But our program is now a national model thanks to new funding provided to GEMA through ODP."
ODP initiated the grant process in 1999. Approximately $6 million has been allocated to Georgia to build a statewide bomb response plan.
"Vulnerability and threat assessments are key to planning and funding efforts," says GEMA Director Mike Sherberger. "GEMA and the GBI's ability to collaborate on such an important initiative serves as a model for future projects."
"Explosive devices continue to be a favorite weapon of terrorists," says Office of Homeland Security Director Bill Hitchens. "Interagency cooperation is the key to funding projects of this importance and magnitude, particularly during today's budget environment. I am pleased that state and federal agencies can work together to make these projects a reality to protect the citizens of our state."
The GBI will now have a total of 10 state-of-the-art bomb response vehicles: six large Freightliner response trucks, three Ford F-550 response trucks and one Ford E-350 response van. These units not only carry a full load of conventional bomb disposal equipment, including robots, bomb suits and X-ray machines, they also are equipped with a host of hazardous material response gear.
EMERGENCY MANAGER Winter 2004

Unveiling Georgia's new bomb response equipment are Office of Homeland Security Director Bill Hitchens and GBI Director Vernon Keenan.

Other equipment purchased under ODP funding for the statewide bomb response plan include: Total containment vessels equipped with chemical biological scrubbers to mitigate a weapon of mass destruction (WMD) device. Computers to assist with detection and communication efforts, providing a ready HAZMAT/WMD and conventional explosive ordinance disposal resource database. Radiological detection devices to enhance the radiological monitoring capabilities. Portable radios to aid in interoperable communications. Dual head Motorola astro spectra radios for interoperable communications with agencies on the VHF radio system. Enhanced rope and rigging kits to aid in the removal of a suspected bomb in areas where a robot cannot reach. Personal protective equipment, including the new 3M mask, which will give bomb techs an enhanced level of safety when working in a chemical or biological environment. Dyna Max vests to provide Level 3A fragment and ballistic protection, which includes arm, neck and groin. The vests

will be included in the personal response

equipment of bomb technicians.

Wolverine robots to cover all types of

rough terrain encountered during the

robotic removal of a suspicious device.

Hotstic robotic manipulator.

The GBI also has 22 bomb

technicians specially trained to handle

bomb threats as well as hazardous

materials.

Bomb response units are located in

Atlanta, Savannah, Macon and

Thomasville. The funds will enable

response units to be added in Cartersville,

Gainesville, west Georgia, east Georgia

and Douglas. When all units are in place,

the GBI will be able to provide highly

trained and equipped bomb response to

most areas of the state within one hour.

"The GBI's bomb response unit

currently handles an average of four to six

calls a week," said Keenan. "We will now

have the tools to respond to these calls

more efficiently and effectively than ever

before."

"Georgia's statewide bomb response

plan is an excellent example of federal

and state collaboration to secure funding

and equipment for such an important

project," says Gary Rogers, ODP

program manager.



8

Georgia Makes Preparations to Address Security Challenges Presented by the 2004 G8 Summit
By Lisa Ray Public Affairs Director

Hosting international events is nothing new for Georgia. Like the 1996 Olympics, however, each gathering brings a unique set of challenges. The 2004 G8 Summit, which will be held June 8-10 at at Sea Island, is no exception. Besides the international delegates and entourages from their respective countries, thousands of credentialed media are expected to cover the event. In addition, numerous protesters could also descend upon Coastal Georgia.
To prepare for the throngs, Governor Sonny Perdue created a G8 Summit Working Group, which coordinates with federal and international participants and assesses the long-term economic impact on Georgia. Georgia Homeland Security Director Bill Hitchens was assigned to oversee the state's security response.
Since the G8 Summit is designated as a national special security event, the United State Secret Service assumes a mandated role as the lead law enforcement agency, responsible for security design, planning and implementation. The Secret Service formed the Executive Steering Committee composed of representatives from federal, state and local organizations, including the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), and responsible for designing the security plan. In addition, the Secret Service designated the following subcommittees to be responsible for specific aspects of the plan: Accreditation and Credentialing, Airspace Security, Civil Disturbance, Consequence Management, Crisis Management, Critical Systems, Dignitary and VIP Protection, Explosive Ordnance Disposal and
HazMat, Intelligence and Counterterrorism,

Interagency Communication, Legal, Logistics, Public Affairs, Tactical and Counter Surveillance, Training, Transportation and Traffic, Venues and Water Security
While Sea Island will be the primary venue for the G8 Summit, there will also be related G8 activities at Jekyll Island, Saint Simons Island and Savannah, about 80 miles north of Sea Island. The physical security of the venues will be the primary consideration of the Secret Service. Local, state and federal first responders will focus on public safety outside the venues.
International forums that address economic, environmental, trade and labor issues have traditionally become popular targets for protest groups from around the world. Because of the presence of international leaders and international media, the G8 Summits are considered to be highly valued "target-events" by activists.
To prepare for the uncertain, Georgia is taking a close look at similar events that have been held in the past. For example, the 1999 World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference in Seattle, Washington, serves as a lesson in worstcase scenarios for international sympo-

siums. This conference was disrupted by

more than 30,000 protesters who blocked

venues, accosted delegates and caused

millions of dollars in damage and lost rev-

enue to the city. During the 2003 G8

Summit held in Evian, France, approxi-

mately 25,000 police and military

encountered more than 100,000 protesters

who caused an estimated $10 million in

damages.

Georgia first responders closely

monitored the successful security efforts

for the Free Trade Area of the Americas

Ministerial held in Miami, Florida, in

November. This and other major events

during the coming months will give

Georgia authorities a good idea of the

types of crowds and tactics they can

expect for G8.

The locations for many of the 2004

G8 venues offer some natural advantages

in terms of organizing security. However,

according to Hitchens, Georgia must be

prepared for the unexpected.

"The Secret Service has dignitary

protection down to a science," said

Hitchens. "Through extensive training

and partnerships on the local, state and

federal level, we are working diligently to

make sure our state develops security

plans to deal with whatever may come our

way during the event."

Georgia's G8 security preparations

will receive a $25 million boost as a result

of federal funding included in the $87 bil-

lion package covering combat and recon-

struction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The funding will be earmarked for prepa-

ration, as well as to cover costs associated

with the enhanced law enforcement

efforts.

"Just like the Olympics, we see the

G8 Summit as an opportunity to sharpen

our skills in addressing security for an

international event," concludes

Hitchens.



9

Winter 2004 EMERGENCY MANAGER

Q & A on the 2004 Group of Eight Summit

Photo courtesy of The Sea Island Company

Photo courtesy of The Sea Island Company

DQ What is the G8 Summit? DA The G8 Summit is an annual meet-
ing of the leaders of the world's major industrial nations to discuss current world issues in a relaxed, private and informal setting. In 1975, the president of France, Valry Giscard d'Estaing, invited the leaders of Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States and Italy to a meeting near Paris. At that time the oil crisis was the dominant issue of the day. The G6 leaders decided to make the event annual and invited Canada to join them to form the G7 in 1976. Russia formally joined the group, which then became the G8, at the 1998 Summit. Representatives from the European Union also attend the annual G8 Summit.
DQ When is the next G8 Summit? DA The Sea Island Summit will be
held June 8-10, 2004.
DQ What issues are addressed at the G8 Summit?
DA Recently, the leaders have taken action to meet such major global challengers as terrorism, the proliferation of the weapons of mass destruction, the spread of HIV/AIDS, famine, debt reduction for poor countries and bridging the world's information or "digital" divide.
DQ How is the host of the G8 Summit determined?
DA The G8 countries take turns hosting the annual Summits. President George W. Bush is the host of the upcoming Summit. The United States has hosted G8 Summits on four previous occasions: in Puerto Rico (1976); Williamsburg, Virginia (1983); Houston, Texas (1990); and Denver, Colorado (1997).

A former cotton plantation, Sea Island is now a private resort. It is known for its golfing (above) and beautiful oak canopies (right).
DQ Why was Sea Island chosen as the Summit site?
DA President Bush chose Sea Island, Georgia, as the site of the 2004 G8 Summit because of the Island's reputation for its relaxed atmosphere and gracious hospitality, in addition to its beautiful, natural setting and secluded location.
DQ Do the countries vote on issues at the Summit? And if so, does the majority prevail?
DA The countries do not vote on issues at the Summit. Leaders seek to reach informal agreement on measures they can take individually, but in a cooperative manner to more effectively achieve their goals.
DQ Why are the European Council and European Commission included in the G8 Summit?
DA The European Union is represented by the President of the European Council and the President of

the European Commission. They are

included in the annual G8 Summits as

they represent important countries that act

a single group on a variety of world

issues. Ireland will preside over the

European Council in June 2004. His

Excellency Bertie Ahern, the Prime

Minister of Ireland will attend the 2004

G8 Summit on behalf of the European

Council.



EMERGENCY MANAGER Winter 2004

10

Preparing for Terrorism Requires Multi-faceted Approach
By Gary Rice Area 2 Field Coordinator

September 11, 2001, forever changed

Exercises must be conducted to test specific compo-

emergency man-

nents of our plans,

agement. We left

evaluate mutual aid

behind the security

agreements, assess

of the natural disas-

internal operating

ter environment we

procedures and

knew so well and

identify weak-

entered into the rel-

nesses. All agencies

atively unknown

that are included in

territory of prepar-

the plan should

ing our own home-

participate.

land for terrorism.

Exercise sce-

Before that

narios should be as

dreadful day, terror-

realistic as possible,

ism was a familiar

yet maintain safe

concept, but an

and secure opera-

event that always happened somewhere else. I, like

GEMA Area 2 Field Coordinator Gary Rice is often one of the first on the scene when disaster strikes. He also assists communities with their overall emergency management program.

tions. Keep in mind that while not all exercises will go

many of you, never

perfectly, the goal is

believed that such violent, heartless acts breaks of war." In the field of emergency to identify weaknesses and incorporate

could ever occur here in the United States management, preparedness means adopt- improvements into our plans.

of America a land where we have so ing a multi-tiered approach to a wide vari-

Professionalism must be a key com-

many freedoms, which are so often taken ety of threats, either natural or man-made. ponent of preparedness. The days of the

for granted.

Before we can really say that we are emergency manager being the "red-

September 11 drastically changed our adequately prepared, we need to look at headed stepchild" are over. We must step

profession, propelling emergency man- several different factors.

up and take the lead on many critical

agement to where it needed to be all along

Planning is required. The old adage, issues. EMA directors are being called on

in the forefront of our communities. "If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail," to do more in the community, including

Emergency management agencies, certainly holds true in emergency homeland security and special event plan-

whether local or state, have the public's management.

ning. Therefore, we must exhibit a profes-

trust in their hands. Our citizens depend

A comprehensive plan is the founda- sional attitude and appearance as we meet

on us to make the right decisions so they tion for any successful response. A plan with elected officials and local

do not have to worry about preparedness should be more than a stack of papers, authorities. This helps us gain the trust

if a disaster strikes the U.S., or even clos- however. It should be a working docu- and confidence of our peers.

er to home, in their neighborhood.

ment that anyone could pick up and use to

Partnerships are essential in making

Preparing, responding, recovering successfully run an operation in the the complex puzzle of emergency man-

and mitigating disasters are what emer- absence of the emergency management agement fit into place. We should strive to

gency management is all about. But it agency (EMA) director or deputy EMA partner with organizations that may play a

takes more than a written plan to be truly director.

vital role in a disaster or terrorism event.

prepared for disasters.

An effective plan is not completed in

Eight All-hazards Councils were cre-

Webster's Dictionary defines pre- a vacuum. In the past, we may not have ated to bring together community leaders

paredness as, "the state of being prepared; included all of our community as players and key consequence managers to devel-

readiness; specific of a nation, the state of in our plans. We must include them now, op preparedness, response and recovery

being prepared to meet threats or out- however.

strategies.

11

Winter 2004 EMERGENCY MANAGER

Private industry and volunteer agencies should not be overlooked in planning efforts. These entities can provide tremendous resources during disasters. However, the time to form relationships and alliances with these groups is now, before an event occurs. This will enable you to meet the key players when things are calm, rather than making introductions on the disaster scene.
Emergency managers also should be active in their community civic organizations. Such groups provide an excellent source of volunteers, as well as a wealth of local knowledge and assets.
Coordination is essential in any event, whether large or small. Although all government levels are experiencing major budget shortfalls, our citizens expect efficient response when an incident occurs not excuses. One way to meet this challenge is to coordinate with other agencies and arrange to use their expertise and resources during a disaster. With more and more emphasis being placed on the Incident Command Structure during emergencies, now is the time to start building the relationships necessary to make this system function properly.
Our state has experienced many natural disasters throughout the years, which have taught us lessons on how to be better prepared. While most of us have learned our lessons well, we should never become complacent in our efforts.
The days of emergency management being a part-time, forgotten agency have passed. By incorporating planning, exercises, professionalism, partnerships and coordination into our role, we have the ability to be one of the shining stars in our communities. If we fail to be prepared, however, we also have the potential to become the scapegoat.
Each of us has the opportunity to grow and prosper, both as an agency and individually, in our profession. I encourage you to be proactive and consider these changes as opportunities, not obstacles.
Georgia has successfully come through many disasters because of professionals in emergency management, and Georgia will continue to set the pace in the emergency management arena. Through preparedness, I know we can all meet the new challenges that lie ahead.
Plan to succeed and you will.
EMERGENCY MANAGER Winter 2004

PROTECTING GEORGIA: THE ALL-HAZARDS WAY
2004 Governor's Emergency Management Conference
May 10 -12, 2004 Savannah, Georgia
For more information, visit www.gema.state.ga.us 12

Winter Weather: Preparing for Ice and Snow

State Forecaster Predicting Unpredictable



By Greg Padgett Natural Hazards Planner


Winter Season


There could be something for everyone this winter season if longrange forecasts hold true. Localized flooding, snow and ice storms, and outbreaks of severe thunderstorms could be possible for Georgia over the next three months.
"In a neutral pattern [like this year's] we can expect the weather to be quite variable," says State Climatologist David Stooksbury with the University of Georgia.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center, temperatures and precipitation may vary this season. Such an unpredictable pattern could translate into a wild roller coaster ride of arctic outbreaks followed by quick warming periods from December into March.
Stooksbury believes this winter will bring a greater chance of a snow or ice storm compared to the last few seasons. "There is an increased likelihood of frozen precipitation. In the northern half of the state, we should see more snow and ice then in a normal year," he says. "We will probably have some extremely cold outbreaks with temperatures below zero in the mountains and in the single digits for most of North and central Georgia." However, it is difficult to predict if Georgia will face a historic winter storm this season.
Though one would expect to see the greatest chance of a major winter storm in January or early February, Georgia's most memorable storm came in March 1993. The Blizzard of `93, or the "Storm of the Century," as it became known, brought more then a foot of snow to northern



Alabama and Georgia, snowfall as far south as the Gulf of Mexico, deadly tornadoes to central Florida, wind damage across several Southern states, and several feet of snow from the North Georgia mountains to New England. A Presidential declaration was declared for Georgia and several other states. According the National Weather Service, Georgia suffered approximately $100 million dollars in agricultural losses and more than $60 million in property damage. Fourteen deaths in Georgia were attributed to the storm.
Blizzards in Georgia like the one in 1993 are rare. Ice storms are more common, and can be just as destructive. One of Georgia's most devastating ice storms hit Atlanta in January 1973. From January 7 to January 9, four inches of ice

accumulated on tree limbs and power

lines across metro Atlanta, leaving

300,000 without electricity. It took more

than a week to restore power. With

today's population in Atlanta, a similar

storm could wreak even more havoc.

More recent ice storms include two

storms surrounding the Super Bowl in

Atlanta in January 2000. The first para-

lyzed the northern third of Georgia with

up to a half of inch of ice on January 22,

causing $48 million in property losses.

Widespread power outages were related

to drought-impacted trees in North

Georgia. At one point, 675,000 homes

were without power. A State of

Emergency was declared in 20 North

Georgia counties.

The following weekend, a second

wave of freezing rain moved into the

Atlanta area just as festivities for Super

Bowl XXXIV were beginning. Travel

became treacherous around the city,

which caused numerous pileups, includ-

ing a 47-car wreck on I-20 west of

Atlanta.

If Georgia experiences a major win-

ter storm this season, Stooksbury says to

watch the Gulf of Mexico after a cold

weather outbreak. Low pressure areas,

which form in the Gulf and track across

south or central Georgia, will provide us

with the greatest chance of heavy snow or

ice.



Notable Georgia Winter Storms

Blizzard of `93 Pre Super Bowl Ice Storm December Ice Storm 1974 Ice Storm

March 12-13, 1993 January 22, 2000 December 4, 2002 January 7-9, 1974

$165 million $48 million $3 million not available

13

Winter 2004 EMERGENCY MANAGER

GEMA Reaches Out to Hispanic Community
By Buzz Weiss Public Affairs Coordinator

As Georgia's population topped the 8 million mark, the Hispanic population, in particular, continued to surge, the product of robust immigration and a high birth rate. New residents, eyeing job opportunities, are coming not only from Latin American countries, but from other states where opportunities fall short of what Georgia has to offer.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the state's Hispanic population increased 17 percent from 2000 to 2002. Official figures put the count at close to 500,000, but Latino leaders and demographics experts such as University of Georgia Professor Doug Bachtel say it is actually in excess of 1 million. Urban, suburban and rural areas alike have seen marked changes, with Hall County's Hispanic population at 20 percent, Whitfield County's at more than 22 percent, and rural Colquitt County's at more than 10 percent. The newest estimates show Gwinnett County's Hispanic population at 13 percent, the largest concentration in the metro Atlanta area.

A new GEMA priority

The

Georgia

Emergency

Management Agency (GEMA's) efforts to

reach the state's widely dispersed

Hispanic community began approximate-

ly five years ago in collaboration with the

Georgia Association of Broadcasters

(GAB), which has produced and distrib-

uted pro-bono public service announce-

ments (PSAs) to radio stations statewide

for GEMA. The PSAs were made avail-

able in both English and Spanish.

While the initiative was a step in the

right direction, there was still much to be

done. Therefore, GEMA established an

ambitious Spanish Language Project to

ensure that its messages on mitigation and

preparedness reach the state's Spanish-

speaking residents, and to guarantee that

response and recovery efforts to various

disasters or emergencies will not be ham-

pered by language barriers.

EMERGENCY MANAGER Winter 2004

Buzz Weiss (left) poses with Jan Jordan of the American Red Cross, GEMA Director Mike Sherberger and Consul General of Mexico Remedios Gomez-Arnau.
The Spanish Language Project has identified needs, forged new partnerships in the Hispanic community through meetings with the Mexican Consulate, the Latin American Association, the Mexican-American Chamber of Commerce and the Southeast Hispanic Media Association, and developed new strategies and goals.
"We are making steady and measurable progress," said GEMA Director Mike Sherberger, "And I think that GEMA can be held up as the model for state service and responsiveness to Georgia's Hispanic community."
Language training Familiarity with the Spanish lan-
guage is a key element of the new initiative, and five GEMA staffers attended a 40-hour "crash course" in Spanish at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center at Forsyth in mid-November. The goal is for 15 percent to 20 percent of GEMA employees to be conversant in Spanish. Currently, at least four are bi-lingual.
Plans are also being made to install a dedicated toll-free phone line, with voice mail that would be answered in Spanish.
Community readiness Developing and training community
emergency response teams (CERT) around the state will also target the Hispanic community. The CERT program, a key component of homeland

security, promotes community selfsufficiency through establishing response teams that are integrated into local emergency services during major disasters. The CERT teams comprise members who are part of neighborhood, community and business organizations who are taught basic emergency response skills by local emergency personnel.
Offering CERT training in Spanish will build on existing partnerships with the American Red Cross and BellSouth. While GEMA is responsible for the curriculum and determining where the training will be offered, the Red Cross and BellSouth are expected to provide instructors, and the Mexican Consulate has agreed to help identify community groups to receive the training.

Hispanic media support

The state's Spanish language media,

particularly in the metro Atlanta area,

have endorsed GEMA's efforts and have

agreed to make space and air time avail-

able for news materials, articles, letters

and programs targeting the Spanish-

speaking community.

"This is a great idea to reach the

Latino community, and will help them to

be better prepared for natural disasters or

other emergencies," said Victoria Chacon,

an Atlanta area businesswoman and editor

of the daily La Vision

newspaper.

Future stratagems include the distri-

bution of Spanish language materials on

emergency preparedness to schools

around the state, through the efforts of

GEMA's area school safety coordinators.

The Latin American Association has

agreed to assist in the translation of

GEMA materials. And the Mexican

Consulate and the Mexican-American

Chamber of Commerce have offered,

among other things, to provide space and

facilitate forums for emergency manage-

ment personnel to meet with the Hispanic

community.



14

Forsyth County Fire Chief is Keeper of History
By Buzz Weiss Public Affairs Coordinator

Maybe it is the harried pace of the big city . . . the grueling, stressful daily commutes . . . the vexing and complicated demands of family life . . . the allure of newer and taller buildings . . . or the fact the New Yorkers and Pennsylvanians, Ohioans and New Englanders now seem to outnumber the natives. But if Atlanta, as a region, has a character flaw, it is a conspicuous and unfortunate lack of appreciation for its history.
Learning history on the job The late Steve Campbell cherished
that history, though, particularly the legacy of the fire service and the Atlanta Fire Department that he served for more that four decades.
Campbell's interest in the department's history was sparked in the

late 1940s, when he was assigned as a company officer at Atlanta's station #1, a dark red brick, three-story structure erected in the early 1890s that loomed over the railroad tracks at the end of Alabama Street downtown. (It was razed 70 years later for a Rich's a parking deck, and now the site of the Nunn federal building.)
In a 1974 interview, Campbell recounted how his new charges, hoping to make a good impression on him, began to clean house. As they rooted out faded photos and dog-eared documents from the back reaches of closet shelves and the corners of dusty storage rooms, he soon noticed that their trash was his treasure. Campbell rescued the materials, and began an avocation that he would pursue for the rest of his life.
In 1975, his final year with the department, Campbell was released from active duty and given the green light to establish a small fire museum on the second floor of the aging Station #7 in West End, the one-time training center where hundreds of firefighters learned their craft. The small room featured the photos, documents, alarm devices and other memorabilia that Campbell had acquired since that first day at the Alabama Street station. Campbell cared for this museum until he passed away several years ago. Fortunately, his collection of memorabilia and the stories that give it meaning are being kept alive by one of his protgs, Danny Bowman, who heads Forsyth County's fire department and emergency management agency.

Chief Danny Bowman
Danny Bowman joined the Atlanta department in 1968 and soon learned not only the political and professional value, but the personal rewards of listening to the "old timers." Bowman's and Campbell's paths crossed several years later when Bowman, by then a battalion chief's aide in southeast Atlanta, was occasionally assigned to assist Campbell, a deputy chief in charge of all fire operations on his shift. They fought some of Atlanta's most memorable fires together, including the deadly Davis Brothers Cafeteria blaze in 1972, which took the lives of four firefighters. During those days, Bowman learned much about the fire service and about history.
Tempus fugit But time marched on, and Bowman
left the Atlanta Fire Department to help create a new Fulton County organization, eventually rising to the rank of deputy chief before taking command of the Forsyth County department.
Meanwhile, Campbell's museum faded from memory, and the whereabouts of his collection was forgotten. Then one day Bowman received a phone call from the Campbell family telling him that his old friend had left several boxes of unknown content for him. Inside, a surprised Bowman found Campbell's curios. Campbell had entrusted them to the man who he knew understood their value and their meaning and would share it with another generation.

15

Winter 2004 EMERGENCY MANAGER

A valuable collection Occupying a special place in
Bowman's office, as it did in Campbell's museum, is probably the most noteworthy document the original handwritten dispatch log for the Winecoff Hotel fire. With 119 victims, the December 7, 1946, blaze still holds its dubious distinction in history as the United States' most deadly hotel fire. Some victims were burned, others asphyxiated by the thick lethal smoke while many leapt in a panic to their deaths. Several were teenagers, in Atlanta for a youth assembly mock legislature. Among the victims was the daughter of Bainbridge politico Marvin Griffin, Georgia's governor from 1954 to 1958. Two other victims were hotel owner W.F. Winecoff and his wife.
In addition to the log, Bowman's photos help to tell the story of the supposedly "fireproof" hotel that was a death trap by today's building standards. The scores of firefighters from Atlanta, surrounding communities and area military installations intrepidly battled the blaze for hours, but lacked the equipment and training that we take for granted today. The building still stands vacant at the southwest corner of Peachtree and Ellis streets, despite several ambitious renovation plans that were launched and then shelved over the years.
Another photo debunks the commonly held belief that there has never
EMERGENCY MANAGER Winter 2004

been a commercial air crash at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. According to Chief Bowman, on May 23, 1960, four Delta Air Lines pilots were killed on a test flight of a Convair 880. There were no passengers on board.
Chief Bowman is in the process of restoring an old-fashioned "joker" system, an alarm mechanism that dates back to the end of the 19th century, but remained in use until finally succumbing to new technology and the sharp increase in phoned-in alarms in the early 1970s. The two chrome reels sitting atop a black slate base were linked to the network of alarm boxes on street corners around the city. When an alarm box was pulled, it transmitted a signal that would punch out a code on the strip of paper between the

two reels that identified the box location. The device was also connected to a gong that alerted firemen of the call.

The past . . . the future

The various items that grace

Bowman's home and office reflect the

evolution of the fire service over the

years, not just in terms of equipment, but

it terms of mission.

Over the past 30 years, improved

building codes and effective fire preven-

tion education programs drastically

reduced the incidence of major structure

fires. Today, the overwhelming number

of fire department calls are for medical

assistance 90 percent in Forsyth County.

Fire departments are handling more and

more HAZMAT and rescue calls, and are

becoming a cornerstone of homeland

security.

But the fire service appears to have

made the transition smoothly. It is what

people expect, according to Bowman,

who issues the challenge to "name one

single emergency that the public doesn't

expect the fire department to respond to."

He says that expectation stems from

the attitude that the fire service has dis-

played over time, and notes that one of

the reasons that firefighters have taken on

an expanded role in EMS is "because we

are taught to work as a team, not alone."

On being the keeper of some valu-

able history, Bowman says, "Few individ-

uals in the fire service had the opportuni-

ty to work with people like Chief

Campbell the way I did. They were com-

ing on the department when steamers

were being phased out. Now we're see-

ing even more dramatic changes that will

shape our future, but it we still need to

remember our past."



16

Pictured is School Resource Officer James Morris with the Cherokee County School Police Department.

The Art of Juggling Hats: Roles of a School Resource Officer
By Keith Sumas School Safety Coordinator

Editor's note: Before joining the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, Keith Sumas was a school resource officer for the Cherokee County School Police. His experiences there gave him a deeper understanding of the challenges that face our school community.
It is Monday morning at a local high school, and the job of a school resource officer (SRO) certified law enforcement officer, first responder, advisor, teacher, emergency manager, coach and most importantly, role model is beginning. Just before school starts, two students begin fighting in the 100 hallway, while another 50 onlookers egg them on. The fight is a result of a neighborhood dispute over the weekend, and the argument has been rekindled at school. The SRO must now put on his law enforcement hat and diffuse a situation that began a couple of days earlier, when he was at home enjoying the weekend.
The SRO breaks them apart and demands to know who provoked the fight. Each offender tells a different story. While the SRO is trying to sort out the truth, he gets a call on his school radio asking him to come to the gym. A student is having difficulty breathing and is experiencing chest pains after playing basketball during a physical education (PE) class. The SRO puts on his first responder hat and makes his way to the gym. As a precautionary measure, the SRO calls
17

9-1-1 while the PE coach renders first aid, and soon a rescue truck, fire engine, and local ambulance company arrive as students gaze out of classroom windows, wondering what is going on at their school. Various tests are performed on the student, then he is transported to the hospital for observation.
The officer returns to the front office, where school administrators ask him to
help them put out several "fires" similar to the ones you see on daytime television or the nightly reality shows. In one office, a freshman reports that he is being picked on by a junior because of the type of clothes he wears to school and the kind of house he lives in. In
another office, a girl complains about a classmate who is making advances toward her boyfriend. She details how she is going to fight the girl on the bus ride home from school. If the incidents aren't resolved before each party leaves the office, the officer may have to don his law enforcement hat again!
At this point, the school counselor asks the SRO to speak to a student who is considering committing suicide because "he was in love" with a girl who ended their relationship after two months of dating. The student asks to speak to the officer privately, so the SRO puts on his advisor hat. As they discuss some of the issues in the relationship, the officer uses techniques he learned at the interpersonal communications/counseling class he took at the police academy to help the student put

the relationship in perspective. Afterwards, the student thanks the SRO and vows to put the situation behind him and move on.
Now it is nearing the lunch hour, and the SRO heads to the cafeteria. The school's administration likes the SRO to pass through the lunchroom frequently to help monitor the 500 hungry students, who often prefer to throw their food instead of eating it. This is an excellent time for the SRO to exercise his "community-oriented policing" tactics and talk with the students to get a feel for the "pulse" of what is going on within the student population.
After lunch, a bomb threat is called into the front office. The SRO puts on his emergency management hat, and before any students are moved into the bomb evacuation site, which is the football stadium, he requests that the coaches sweep
it for secondary devices. As the students exit the building, most pull out cellular phones and call their parents, even though this is not advised. Consequently, hundreds of parents, grandparents, cousins, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts and next-door neighbors arrive at the school to check on their loved ones. After an
exhaustive search, the building is cleared of any suspicious items, the crowd leaves, and what is left of the academic day continues.
As the SRO resumes his rounds, the
Winter 2004 EMERGENCY MANAGER

social studies teacher pulls him into her

classroom and asks him to give an

impromptu 20-minute presentation on

search and seizure. He agrees, and after

his talk the students begin to ask questions

as if they are reporters at a press confer-

ence. Whenever he does this presentation,

at least one student asks if he has

shot anybody, and today is no

exception. The officer

explains that in the career

of a typical law enforce-

ment officer, this type

of situation rarely

arises.

The class is

abbreviated

because of the earli-

er bomb threat, and

the bell rings. It is as if

someone kicked an ant hill as a thousand

eager students pour into the once-calm

halls and hasten to their next class. The

officer walks around to talk with and

observe the students as they jostle and

gossip while teachers try to herd them into

class.

It is the last class of the day, and a

parade of school buses arrives to take the

students home. The officer goes outside to

direct traffic because early arriving par-

ents block the roadway, hindering some of

the buses from accessing their assigned

bus lanes.

Once the traffic is clear, the student

athletes get ready for practice. The SRO,

who has elected to become a coach for a

small salary supplement, also prepares for

practice. While a game day can turn into a

15-hour workday, the SRO knows that

working with the student athletes can

keep them occupied and out of possible

trouble.

A handful of districts throughout the

state mainly in metro Atlanta

counties have

school

police

departments.

Generally, these

departments

require their

SROs to have

a college

degree, previous

law enforcement expe-

rience and the ability to

work with children. They

also may require a potential SRO to take a

polygraph examination, psychological

examination and drug test. Typically,

EMERGENCY MANAGER Winter 2004

school police departments pay SROs slightly more than local police departments pay patrol officers.
Many of the schools outside the metro Atlanta area use officers or deputies from their local police agencies or sheriff's departments. These officers are are assigned to schools during the academic term but return to their regular patrol
shifts and catch up with their mandated training hours during the summer months. School resource officers are encouraged to take an 88-hour SRO training course that covers topics such as the history of the SRO, juvenile law, special needs students,
public speaking, search and seizure, gangs, and weapons in schools. In addi-

tion, the Georgia Emergency

Management Agency's

School Safety Unit

trains SROs through-

out the state in

visual weapons

screening,

school bomb

threat man-

agement

and issues

related to pos-

sible terrorism

on school campuses.

While the above scenario does not

happen every day, the events highlighted

in this article are common. The SRO must

be ready for any incident, then don the

appropriate hat to deal with it.



CELLAR

THE STORM
Here are some questions to help you get ready for winter weather.
1) The lowest temperature ever recorded in Georgia was: a) -5 b) -7 c) -10 d) -17
2) A blizzard is defined by several variables, including winds of at least: a) 25 mph b) 35 mph c) 40 mph d) 60 mph
3) Rain that falls as liquid, but freezes upon contact with the ground, creating a glaze is called: a) Sleet b) Freezing rain c) Frozen precipitation d) A good excuse for getting home late
4) The threat of 7 or more inches of snow or sleet within the next 24 hours would trigger a: a) Winter storm warning b) Winter storm watch c) Winter weather advisory d) Blizzard warning

Answers 1) d; 2) b ; 3) b; 4) a

18

GEMA Post Office Box 18055 Atlanta, Georgia 30316-0055
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