Students at North Springs High School and Riverwood International Charter School ran four emergency drills during their first full week back on campus, part of a district-wide safety protocol that Fulton County Schools detailed in a new podcast episode released Thursday, Aug. 13.
The Season 2 premiere of the district's "Let's Talk Schools" podcast features Dr. Ava Williams and Zone 7 Superintendent Dr. Kibbey Crumbley walking through how FCS prepares for, responds to and communicates during crises. The episode covers scenarios including severe weather, power outages, medical emergencies and safety threats, according to the district's episode page.
Both Sandy Springs high schools fall under Zone 4 Superintendent Alexandra Bates and share the same safety infrastructure overseen by Paul Hildreth, director of the FCS Department of Safety & Security. That department comprises three units: the School Police, Student Health Services and Emergency Management. The district enrolls a projected 85,000 students across 101 schools for the 2026-27 year.
What the drills look like
Every FCS school completes six types of safety drills: evacuation, shelter-in-place, soft lockdown, hard lockdown, intruder alert and medical emergency. Evacuation drills happen monthly. During the first full week of each semester, schools must run four drills back-to-back: soft lockdown, hard lockdown, evacuation and shelter-in-place.
Each school maintains an annual safety plan reviewed by building leadership and district safety staff, then reported to the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. The plans cover staff roles, threat assessment protocols, emergency exits and reunification procedures. Specifics are not released publicly to protect students and staff, according to the district's safety page.
For active-shooter scenarios, middle and high school students train in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's "Run. Hide. Fight." protocol.
Technology on every campus
Two systems back up the drill training. CrisisGo, a mobile app, delivers emergency instructions to staff through a distinct alert tone, letting teachers secure classrooms, account for students and communicate with the district's safety team. The Centegix Crisis Alert System gives every teacher and staff member a wearable badge that can trigger alerts ranging from a front-office notification to a direct signal to FCS School Police and local law enforcement.
The FCS Police Department, led by Chief Mark Sulborski, employs more than 60 certified officers. The department earned Georgia Law Enforcement Certification earlier this year, as The Record previously reported, meeting 139 professional standards.
What parents should do
The podcast episode stresses that families play a critical role by keeping emergency contact information current in the district's Infinite Campus system. In a shelter-in-place situation, FCS communicates with parents through the school, the district and local authorities.
Families can report safety concerns anonymously through the FCS Tip Line at fultonschools.org/tipline. The FCS Police non-emergency number is 470-254-0599; the 24-hour line is 404-730-7911.
The full podcast episode is available at fultonschools.org/letstalkschools. The next Fulton County Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 20, at the FCS South Learning Center in Union City.
