VSU Police Plan Emergency Response Training Exercise

VALDOSTA — The Valdosta State University Police Department will conduct an emergency response training exercise between 8 a.m. and noon on Friday, March 22.

As part of the training exercise, volunteer actors will portray students, faculty, and staff both inside and running from Nevins Hall, while university police respond to the scene as they likely would in an actual event. The training exercise perimeter will be clearly marked with signage. Please note that the training exercise will involve the sound of simulated gunfire.

Passersby may also see training exercise-related activity around the Oak Street Parking Deck, Front Lawn, University Center, and driveway area between the Student Union and Hopper Hall.

This training exercise is a joint initiative with the Valdosta Police Department, Lowndes County Emergency Management Agency, Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, Remerton Police Department, Valdosta Fire Department, and South Georgia Medical Center.

The training exercise will play out over real emergency dispatch channels in order to test the capabilities of the Lowndes County 911 Center. The training exercise will also serve as a test of the campus emergency alert system, and VSU community members will receive real-time alerts by phone, email, text, and desktop messaging. These dispatches and messages will begin with a notification that this is a drill. 

Volunteer actors will be triaged and transported to South Georgia Medical Center to test its Emergency Department team. Please note that the training exercise will involve the use of special effects materials, or moulage, to create lifelike injuries and wounds. 

The training exercise is scheduled during the week of Spring Break to minimize disruption of regular campus activities. Students, faculty, and staff on campus during the training exercise are encouraged to use the opportunity to practice office or residence hall lockdown procedures.

Questions should be directed to Lieutenant Robert Goley, emergency management specialist for the VSU Police Department, at rgoley@valdosta.edu or (229) 259-2043.