Atlanta Public Schools Examines its Readiness for Major Security Incidents

APS is the first school system in the country to partner with the Department of Homeland Security in such a training.

Leaders from Atlanta Public Schools’ security, communications and transportation groups and two APS schools participated today in a tabletop exercise designed to evaluate readiness, response and recovery plans, and procedures for managing a major security incident.

Coordinated by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the training used the agency’s Exercise Information System (EXIS) to assess the school district’s ability to address security vulnerabilities and options identified in the 2012 TSA Highway BASE national assessment.   APS is the first school system in the country to partner with the agency in such a training.

The work group managed a fictitious security and safety event that could have had major implications to the transportation and operations functions of APS.  A major component of training was the coordination and inclusion that the district has with the Atlanta Police Department in managing safety and security issues.  Each group’s representatives managed through the scenarios fulfilling their actual roles in the event.

In addition to leaders from the Atlanta Police Department, and the local and national representatives from TSA, the exercise included leadership from the Atlanta Fire Department and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency.  Security, communication and transportation leaders from other metro school systems also participated, including DeKalb, Fayette and Henry County schools, and the Fulton County Schools Police Department.