Training prepares local,
state partners to deal with
bomb threats
A
By Julia Regeski
s shards of hot pink watermelon littered
a pristine October sky, a group of wide-
eyed and ears-covered students looked
up in awe. They had just witnessed a
controlled detonation of a blasting cap explosive,
a type of bomb that, some say, is something this
course’s attendees may have to deal with in the
future.
Students learned how to handle blasting caps and
other types of explosives during a Mangaing School
Bomb Threats Course organized by the Georgia
Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia Emergency
Management and Homeland Security Agency.
While the latter part of the class included dramatic
demonstrations of various bombs, instructors
also ensured students knew much more than how
bombs look and feel. Participants took part in a
comprehensive classroom portion of the course in
which they learned to assess a bomb threat and
react strategically.
Students take the knowledge learned and carry
it back to their professional roles, which include
everything from school personnel to law enforcement
officers. Special Agent Matt Howard, a class
instructor and bomb technician with GBI, believes
anyone in charge of safety should add bomb threats
to their existing security plan.
“You can’t plan for everything,” said Howard, “but
you can plan for a lot.”
Benny Long, assistant superintendent of
transportation, safety and support at Fannin County
Schools, has done just that. He’s attended the course
multiple times over the years and encouraged many
of his peers do the same, regardless of their position
or skill level.
“Every school system needs to be aware of the
possibilities and correct procedures for dealing
with it,” said Long. “We have had numerous people
attend over the years in various roles.”
Another student, Dustin Rogers, assistant dean
20
of students and director of security at Tallulah Falls
School, has taken what he learned during the bomb
threat training and implemented it as a specialized
measure of his facility’s current preparations. “While
taking many classes such as this in the military, none
were connected to schools,” he said. “I wanted
to take this class to finalize my current standard
operating procedures and train the faculty and staff
at Tallulah Falls School.”
Many who attended felt the class is unique on a
national scale. “I haven’t seen it anywhere else,” said
Howard, adding that the class’ accessibility for a
diverse audience is key to the lessons’ effectiveness.
“It’s a good one to take to the public and people,
say, school resource officers and folks that don’t
necessarily expect to deal with explosives.”
That was the aim of the course when it was
established more than 12 years ago. “Are we
going to give them, in a one day course, enough
information for them to feel fully comfortable in this
situation? Maybe,” said Tod Keys, exercise program
manager at GEMA/HS. “At the very least we’re
going to give them enough information where if they
have this threat happen, they can analyze it and
know there are resources available to come in and
help.”
Despite the hours spent in a classroom, organizers
believe the best way to drive home the importance of
the course material is with the bomb demonstration.
“We can talk all day about bomb threats and how
important they are, but until someone feels that
‘thump’ or sees that blast, they won’t take it seriously,”
said Keys.
At the end of the day, as the diverse group of
students headed home, many reflected on what
they had learned and what it means for those they
protect. “This is an area that we have never really
trained for nor knew a lot about,” said Rogers. “Now,
we will be able to adequately respond to such a
threat.”