The Candler County School District (CCSD) and the Candler County Sheriff’s Office remain committed to ensuring the safety of students, teachers, and staff by continuing strong partnerships through training and drills.
Throughout the year, Sheriff’s Office personnel, School Resource Officers, the Metter Fire Department, and the Candler County Emergency Management Agency work closely with school administrators to plan and conduct critical safety drills. These include monthly Fire Drills, seasonal Weather Drills, and Intruder Drills.
In compliance with House Bill 147, CCSD will conduct an Intruder Drill prior to October 1. State law also requires that at least one Intruder Drill be held each school year, although schools may choose to have additional drills.
“While these types of events are rare, our priority is to be as prepared as possible for any situation that may occur,” said CCSD Superintendent Bubba Longgrear. “The safety of our students and staff is at the center of everything we do.”
Fire and Weather Drills will be led by the Metter Fire Department, Emergency Management Agency, and School Resource Officers, while the Candler County Sheriff’s Office will conduct the Intruder Drill. Deputies have also trained CCSD staff on best practices to help protect themselves and their students in emergency situations.
Sheriff John Miles emphasized the importance of these exercises: “We want our community to know this is a drill and there is no cause for alarm. Deputies will be on campus to conduct the drill and evaluate procedures so that we are ready should a real emergency ever occur.”
In the event of an actual emergency, CCSD administrators will work in coordination with local and state emergency personnel, including the Candler County Sheriff’s Office and the Candler County Emergency Management Agency. Parents can stay informed by downloading the Candler County Schools app on iphone or android, checking the school website, following official school social media pages, and receiving phone calls/texts from the school’s automated system.
“When drills take place, our communications team will send alerts through local media, the Candler County Schools app, website, and social media, just as they would in a true emergency,” Longgrear explained. “We ask parents not to rush to the school during a drill or an actual emergency. Doing so makes it harder for officers to manage the situation safely.”
CCSD extends its appreciation to all local emergency agencies for their ongoing dedication to the safety of our schools and community.