Kingston - "Dirty Bomb" Training Exercise

[eric12401 77]

KINGSTON — Cries for help echoed out of a crumbling building that had just been hit by a so-called "dirty bomb."

Victims lay helpless, their anguished faces bleeding and scarred. A plume of smoke hung over the site that had just been hit.

Then the rescuers arrived, garbed in heavy suits, boots and masks.

On a nearby street, a triage unit was set up to treat the injured and "decontaminate" them.

The event was a "dirty bomb" training exercise held at the site of the former King's Inn on Broadway in Midtown Kingston.

http://dailyfreeman....3e402395377.txt

[Guest alsfirefighter]

I definitely like the forward thinking.

[PFDRes47cue 653]

Very nice to see proactivity in emergency services.

[conman 40]

This training also helped to find the differences between the Army and us as civilians. The termonology that we use (ie ALS) is what the army considers to be BLS. Also this showed the difficulty that the army has setting up in an urban area and that they need to consider adding a holding area because of the limits of the civilian resources.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

I definitely like the forward thinking.

Wait, you mean we're not just supposed to click our heels together and say "it wouldn't happen here, it wouldn't happen here, it wouldn't happen here" ??? That's what I was always told we were supposed to do if something like that happened. Alternatively you can just yell to the terrorists "BUT WE DON'T DO HAZMAT!" and proceed to "turn the pager off and drive upwind." /sarcasm

Seriously, glad to see some local responders taking on this kind of exercise. Its great to have it all written down, but until you play it out and work out the kinks that come with this kind of operation, you're sure to miss something important. Its easy to just say "Oh, well we'd call in XYZ to do it for us," ignoring the fact that everyone else will be thinking the exact same thing. There's only so many resources out there folks. The reality of the situation is that every responder needs to be aware of what to do in these situations and how to get the ball rolling on controlling and mitigating the incident.

Is this the New York National Guard's Civil Support Team? I know that those teams have some INCREDIBLE resources when it comes to HAZMAT/WMD, including some pretty advanced field laboratories. Most departments have no idea that it exists, but its something we should all be aware of for when the "Big One" really happens.

[v85 212]

Just as a (related) aside, what is Kingston FD's normal staffing, I know they are a combo department.

I ask because I was in Kingston the day after this drill, and I saw two trucks, an engine with a driver and officer, and it appeared no one else, and a tiller with the two drivers, but no one even in the officer's seat. Please tell me that they have members go to the scene if there trucks are rolling with just drivers or driver and officer.

[Danger 160]

Just as a (related) aside, what is Kingston FD's normal staffing, I know they are a combo department.

I ask because I was in Kingston the day after this drill, and I saw two trucks, an engine with a driver and officer, and it appeared no one else, and a tiller with the two drivers, but no one even in the officer's seat. Please tell me that they have members go to the scene if there trucks are rolling with just drivers or driver and officer.

I'm pretty sure it's either two or three engines with 2 guys each, but I know for a fact the tiller just has the driver and tillerman. Negligible volunteer response.

[conman 40]

I believe Kingston runs 3 on an engine and two drivers on the tiller. Volunteers are dispatched on second alarms and in all actuality Kingston only has one to two volunteer stations that even respond to calls on the alarm. Off duty paid Kingston members don't respond to the scene so if its anything then call backs are given. As for the HAZMAT team that came to the drill, they were a division from the Army that is based out of Brooklyn if i remember correctly not a division of the National Guard. If they were needed for an incident up here they would have an approximate E.T.A of 6 hours. I wasn't personally involved in the drill but my chief was head of the civilian EMS portion of the drill.

[v85 212]

In reference to the staffing:

Wow. I didn't think staffing was that low. So on a first alarm you are talking 6 to 8 (2 to 3 engines X 2 people + 1 tiller with 2 people) members plus chiefs?

So if there are 3 engines and a truck on scene with 8 people, and you have three A/O's who can't leave the apparatus, you are talking 5 people. That is barely enough for 2 in, 2 out right? Am I missing something here?

Edited November 11, 2011 by v85

[conman 40]

They have five engines and a truck. A first alarm breakdown goes like this depending on the location: engines 1,3,5 truck 1 and salvage. When a second alarm is called is brings call backs and an additional engine. It also bring ulster hose in as a fast team with an engine and a truck. But essentially on a first alarm they have around 6 ffs and a driver on each engine

[ffnpfd896 0]

They have five engines and a truck. A first alarm breakdown goes like this depending on the location: engines 1,3,5 truck 1 and salvage. When a second alarm is called is brings call backs and an additional engine. It also bring ulster hose in as a fast team with an engine and a truck. But essentially on a first alarm they have around 6 ffs and a driver on each engine

Three engines and 1 Truck are career staffed. Minimum manning is 10 personnel (3Engx2 ,1Trkx2 & 1CARx2). Full manning is usually 12 to 13. During full manning a Rescue (really a pickup) is staffed. 2nd due career engine oper assists in securing water then joins regular ops (they do not hang out). 3rd due career eng begins to move Code 1 on 1st alarm and then upgrades or cancels enroute depending on radio traffic. Volunteers operate 1 eng and various mini types. They are never relied upon for a true response, but are helpful when available. Information on 2nd alarms and greater are acurate enough as posted earlier.

[JunebugKFD257 48]

The above statement is correct. Years ago, the volunteers were relied upon as part of the response, but now membership has declined. Mutual Aid was rarely heard of years ago, but is now common.