Virginia State Police 1st Sgt. Anthony Nicely from the Virginia State Police visited Danville Community College on March 15 and 16 to provide active shooter training to faculty and staff. The training was aimed at equipping the college community with the necessary skills and knowledge to respond effectively in the event of an active shooter incident.
Cole Taggart, All-Hazards Planner from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, also joined Sgt. Nicely on March 16 to assist with emergency management planning in conjunction with the College’s Executive Council.
President Dr. Jerry Wallace expressed gratitude to Sgt. Nicely and Mr. Taggart for their contributions to the safety and preparedness of the college community. “The safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff are of utmost importance to us. We appreciate the efforts of Sgt. Nicely and Mr. Taggart in helping us enhance our emergency response plans and preparedness. We are committed to providing a safe and secure learning environment for everyone at Danville Community College.”
Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Services Dr. Cornelius Johnson echoed Dr. Wallace’s sentiments and emphasized the importance of being prepared for emergencies. “As a college community, we must be proactive and prepared for any eventuality. The training provided by Sgt. Nicely and the planning guidance provided by Mr. Taggart are critical components of our preparedness efforts. We are grateful for their expertise and guidance.”
Sgt. Nicely has over 19 years of experience in law enforcement. His training covered various aspects of responding to an active shooter incident, including the importance of situational awareness, communication, and the run, hide, fight response.
“In today’s environment, multi-agency collaboration and preparedness are the keys to saving lives in a critical, life-threatening situation,” said Nicely, Virginia State Police Area 38 Commander. “Conducting exercises like this one are essential to ensure first responders and the community college’s leadership, faculty, staff and students are equipped, in advance, with the knowledge and training necessary to save lives when every minute counts.”
Mr. Taggart has 10 years of experience in public safety and specializes in all-hazard planning. He worked with the College’s Executive Council to review and update emergency plans, ensuring that they are current and aligned with best practices.
“VDEM’s partnership with DCC, much like our relationship with all state higher education institutions, serves to assist them in building their bandwidth to address emergency and disaster,” said Taggart. “We look forward to continued opportunities to collaborate with the DCC team on their plans, processes, and capabilities.”
Danville Community College is committed to providing a safe and secure learning environment for its students, faculty, and staff. The college regularly reviews and updates its emergency plans to ensure that they are effective and in-line with state recommendations. The college also conducts regular emergency preparedness drills to ensure that the community is ready to respond effectively in the event of an emergency.