Meet the team

Terri Collins, Fire-Emergency Management Planner

Terri Collins, under general supervision from the Fire Chief of Administration/Emergency Management Director and the Fire Chief of Operations, assists in short- and long-range planning, as well as, supporting the operations of the fire and emergency management divisions. Short- and long-range planning involves developing goals and objectives for the fire department and emergency management, creating and maintaining budgets for both departments that correspond to the set goals and objectives.
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Terri began her career as a classroom instructor earning her bachelor’s degree in science from Mercer University, a master’s degree in post-secondary education from Troy State University with a minor in Psychology, and certified coaching endorsement for instructional leadership. In April of 2024, she completed the Leadership Griffin-Spalding program and began a campaign to provide rehabilitation supplies to firefighters on active fire scenes known as Squad R3. She is currently finishing a Certified Emergency Management course through FEMA and GEMA to add to this current field.
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Terri also serves as the liaison between divisions within the department, along with other departments, staff, City and County officials, the public, community leaders, outside agencies and other organizations. In this role, she coordinates the ongoing support of community resources for assistance during events as part of Volunteers Active in Disasters (VOAD) that assist during community emergencies and disasters including partnering with surrounding community EMA offices, faith-based organizations such as the Salvation Army, The Red Cross and other local organizations that provide resources during these events.
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She also assists with the development, coordination, implementation and maintenance of comprehensive plans, procedures, and systems to ensure an effective and efficient response to emergencies and disasters. This includes assisting with the county incident management team and coordination of the emergency operations center. Included in those duties is maintaining a community based comprehensive hazard risk assessment and risk management program in accordance with the hazards risk assessment to develop, prioritize, and implement disaster prevention and mitigation plans and programs.
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Terri looks forward to serving the community of Spalding County, the place in which she was born and raised. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and reading books, especially historical pieces. She is married to Steve Collins who has worked for UPS for thirty years. They have one son, Zackary, who attends Southern Crescent pursuing an electrical degree. They also have an Australian Shepherd named Sandy and an extremely large cat named Walt.