HazMat/WMD Full Scale Exercise

Westchester County has the highest taxes in the United States. We also have the highest threat assessment according to many, with perhaps the possible exception being Washington DC. So it was no wonder that with funds secured from tax dollars elsewhere, which of course we still all pay for, Westchester County's Department of Emergency Services hosted a Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Destruction Exercise. In all, 56 agencies participated. An unofficial breakdown was 42 paid agencies and 14 volunteer agencies for the 6-hour exercise.

Members of the HMRT getting prepped to respond into the "hot" zone.

Part of this scenario was some sort of bus incident that the Valhalla Fire Department responded to and immediately called 60 Control, the communications arm of DES, for assistance. 

In this photo above, members of the Westchester County all-volunteer Hazardous Materials Response Team get prepped to suit-up to make entry into the hot zone consisting of some sort of release of an unknown chemical. Once they were suited up and the totally encapsulated Level A suits were sealed, two team members went into the scene to do an evaluation. Armed, literally with pH tape on their sleeves for gross reactive readings, along with other metering devices to assist these HazMat responders, they went into the "hot zone". Initially, two responders from this team went to see if they could identify what the chemical agent being used might be. Then two more followed to assess the damage and wounded.

As the event unfolded, different emergency response agencies, mostly comprised of fire and police departments responded to the scene. In an event such as this, given the extreme weather we were experiencing, many of the responders were "recycled" through a rehab station and then allowed back into the event. With all of the departments being brought in, there was an abundance of equipment and personnel. In fact, many said there was too much of everything being brought in to the scene and that would be one of the points mentioned in the "after wash" critique.

While the responders were doing what they do, there were other staffers from a number of agencies monitoring all of the events, taking copious notes. While our taxes may not be lowered anytime soon, we can rest assured that we are well protected.