Newspaper Page Text
THURSDAY. JUNE 16. 2022 PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS PAGE 11A
Continued From 1A
Shooter training
In Pickens law enforce
ment gets two days planned
for just their officers, then
there are additional days co
ordinated with medical first
responders and in the schools
with teachers at the class
room level on what they
should do in the event of a
school shooting. The sheriff’s
office hopes to conduct a
large multi-agency training
event with surrounding juris
dictions later this year or next
year.
Asked about the Uvalde
shooting, which left 19 stu
dents and two staff dead, Hall
said, “We don’t have all the
details but obviously some
thing broke down [in the law
enforcement response],” he
said. “That’s why we train on
this, God forbid it happen
here, we don’t want anything
to break down.”
When asked about reports
saying officers were reluctant
to enter the school where the
18-year with an assault rifle
was still at large, Hall said he
didn’t believe it was fear on
the part of officers, rather
some kind of communica
tions failure among the re
sponding units.
He said even if there had
been a lack of details on
whether the shooter was bar
ricaded in one room or still
roaming the halls, training
dictates that officers need to
get in there so that medical
attention can be given to any
one wounded. Hall said they
train here with a high priority
given to medical first respon
ders be able to approach vic
tims quickly to reduce
potential casualties from peo
ple “bleeding out.”
During the training day at
the courthouse, Hall and
other supervisors were shout
ing commands at the deputies
as they covered one another
coming around the comer of
the building and going in the
front door. Among the com
mands were “somebody
move,” “don’t just stand
there,” and once “don’t shoot
your partner in the back.”
The deputies had “blue
guns” for training, however,
not real fire arms.
“At end of the day, no one
can really be prepared for the
devastation that can take
place, but if we train together,
pushing forward together we
will be better prepared if,
God forbid, something does
happen,” Hall said.
Deputies peer into the front door of the courthouse on Main Street during the training drill. Instructors
were regularly yelling for someone to make a decision and for the group to not delay in their movement.
Continued From 1A
Fire
photos/ Dan Pool
In all, 26 officers participated in the Saturday training.
Later sessions are planned with both medical first respon
ders and school system employees.
breaks, but with the heat of
the fire and the weather it’s
really tough. The firefighter
was treated and released and
is doing okay now.”
According to Prather, the
homeowners were not at
home when the fire broke
out, but family lives nearby
and was on the scene. Home-
owners names are not being
released.
Crews had the fire con
tained within 30 minutes, but
remained there until 10 p.m.
for “overhaul,” Prather said.
Continued From 1A
Golf is a great way to be active while enjoying the out
doors says the author shown playing her sport above.
Good
Vibes
Golf
school day to practice. The
football players went to the
field on campus, and the golf
team went to our parents’
country clubs. I have fond
memories of charging Cokes
and peanut butter crackers to
my friend Julie’s parents’ ac
count. We had a radio with us
and played a lot of Prince
while hacking our way
around the course.
The other memory: shoot
ing a 116 at the state high
school tournament in Cush
ing, Okla. I think the temper
ature matched my score that
day. That may have been
when I realized tournament
competition was not my bag.
However, the tournament got
me out of class, a clear win.
My family moved when I
was a junior in high school
and I let the clubs collect dust
for several years. Fast-for
ward to college when I met a
guy who played golf. “Oh, I
play!” I said as I drove back
to my parent’s house and lo
cated my faded blue Ping
bag. I played a bit in college
and even more after. I mar
ried the golfer, so the game
became a part of our lives to
gether.
A job in sales helped me
get on-course time during the
week. “Networking,” they
called it, but mostly it was
me and a friend on Fox Creek
in Smyrna because it was
cheap and close to the office.
In another few years, my
husband and I had kids and
the clubs languished in the
garage; I traded free time for
diapers and bottles. When
our kids were old enough for
lessons, they went and so did
I. Three decades after my
first lesson, I was back again.
Hopefully the stop/start na
ture of my game is over.
I’ve realized some things
about golf and myself. Golf
is hard and practice makes
me better, but I’m not into
that. This makes it easier—
keeping expectations and
stress levels low.
Golf is a great way to be
active while enjoying the out
doors. Yay for vitamin D and
sock tans.
A long golf cart ride is a
perfect time to catch up with
friends.
Golf can be fun and frus
trating at the same time.
Kinda like life. Even if the
score rises, it’s okay ...
friends, sun and snacks make
for a fantastic day.
And I still enjoy charging
crackers on the account.
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editor
at 706-253-2457
or
dpool@pickensprogress.com
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Those interested in history
photo/Pickens Fire Department
The charred remains of the home off Wilderness Lane.
“We knock out hotspots and coals and embers
to be sure it doesn’t start back up.”
The structure was a total loss.
The chief noted that while crews were at
Wilderness Lane, they were dispatched to an
other call, but that it was “out on arrival.”
Pickens County units that responded were:
engines 51 and 11, tankers 2,11, and 51, res
cue 5, 61, and 9, med 5 and 11, rehab 8, bat
talion 11, 1101 along with several volunteers.
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