Private school teachers receive training for emergency scenarios in Lowndes Co.

VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - As we enter a new school year, teachers at a private school were trained on some potentially life-saving techniques Monday.

Teachers at Crossroads Baptist School were trained for emergency scenarios.(WALB)

“As teachers, we spend a lot of time preparing academically for what we’re going to do in the classroom for the kids so we often don’t think about the things that might happen if emergencies come up,” said Cheryl Cole, a 3rd-grade teacher, and academic coach.

Lowndes County’s Emergency Management Agency Director, Ashley Tye, led the class.

It’s a partnership with the South Health District.

“Stop the Bleed” trains teachers, school administrators, and coaches on how to render immediate aid.

Cole says it’s important to know what to do in emergency situations.

“As a parent myself, I know it makes parents feel good to know that when they drop those kids off every day that we can take care of whatever situation might arise,” said Cole.

A cut, deep wound, and bleeding profusely.

Courtney Sheeley with South Health District says teachers are trained how to properly stop the bleeding or slow it down until EMS arrives.

“It can save your life. That’s why it’s so important,” said Sheeley.

Inside each bleeding control kit, they can find items such as gauze, gloves, pressure bandages, and tourniquets.

“You never know in the day and time we live today you just never know what situations may come up and these trainings are going to help us be prepared for those worst-case scenarios that we hope we never have to deal with,” said Meredith Gay, a kindergarten teacher.

Gay says the trainings are very beneficial for them.

Parents trust them with their kids for hours every day. They want to be prepared.

Teachers at Crossroads Baptist Church also received active shooter training this morning.

The Security Director of the school, James Bowers, led the class.

He went over scenarios involving active shooters and discussed with staff how to handle certain situations.

Whether to run, fight or hide, he says it’s something they must determine within seconds.

”The time we’re living in now, it’s really critical, we’ve had mass shootings and numerous schools over the last years so we have to be aware it can happen here. And if it can happen here. We have to be prepared to the best of our abilities,” said Bowers.

Although every incident can’t be stopped, Bower says they’ll make sure to make the school a hard target.

He says teachers responded very well and learned new information that hadn’t been considered before in case of an emergency.