Chatham Fire to host active shooter management training at Georgia Southern

by Shakuria Smith

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Public safety leaders from across the region will gather in Savannah next week for specialized training focused on improving leadership and coordination during active shooter emergencies.

The Chatham County Fire Department, in partnership with Georgia Southern University, will host an Active Shooter Incident Management (ASIM) course July 14-16 at the Georgia Southern University Armstrong Center Student Union, located at 13040 Abercorn St. in Savannah.

The three-day training is designed for public safety professionals and partner agencies responsible for managing complex emergency incidents. Unlike tactical response training, the ASIM course focuses on leadership, decision-making and multi-agency coordination during rapidly evolving active shooter events.

The course will be taught by instructors from C3 Pathways, a nationally recognized public safety training organization specializing in active threat preparedness, incident management and interagency coordination.

“Effective response to an active shooter incident requires more than tactical proficiency,” said Deputy Chief Lydia McCrary. “It demands strong leadership, coordinated decision-making, and seamless communication among all responding agencies. This training helps prepare leaders to manage these complex incidents under pressure while keeping responders and the community safe.”

Participants will receive hands-on instruction and scenario-based exercises covering:

Incident Command System (ICS) implementation and establishing command
Unified Command and coordination among law enforcement, fire, EMS, emergency communications and emergency management
Resource management, responder accountability and operational communications
Casualty management, including Rescue Task Force concepts, medical coordination and patient transportation
Information management through effective radio communication and situational updates
Strategic planning for operational transitions and recovery efforts

Organizers say the training is intended to strengthen collaboration among first responders and community partners while enhancing preparedness for high-risk incidents.