The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
HANDS-ON TRAINING
Law enforcement, emergency service organizations prepare for plethora of threats
While the students were away for Spring Break, two civil support teams, the National Guard, U.S. Army, New York State Police, New York State Fire and members of the Hamilton College Emergency Response Team filled the campus and practiced for emergencies.
“Really, what everyone gets out of this is that inter-agency operability and working together when we don’t normally have that opportunity unless there’s an actual incident,” Associate Director of Campus Safety Wayne Gentile said.
Training started on Monday, March 18 and will carry on until Thursday, March 21. This is the 10th year the Hamilton College campus has hosted an emergency exercise with law enforcement and emergency service organizations. The exercises will focus on identifying chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear agents and substances, assess current and projected consequences, response measures, requests for additional support and more.
Just last year, the National Guard conducted an exercise through the former ceramics classroom in a simulation of a threat involving weapons of mass destruction.
When responding to all manner of threats and emergencies from chemical attacks and IEDs to a weapon of mass destruction, cooperation is key, officials say.
“It builds relations and puts names to faces,” Gentile said. “A lot of incidents like this, the biggest issue is communication. You work out that kind of stuff here and find out whowould do what in what role and department capabilities. And for the New York State Police, it’s another opportunity to practice.”
For the college, it offers a chance for law enforcement and emergency service organizations to become better acquainted with the campus, how it’s laid out and be prepared should they ever be needed in the future.
“The Hamilton Emergency Response Team takes its mission seriously and these drills generate confidence and form partnerships with law enforcement agencies,” Campus Safety Director Frank Coots said. “Safety is a number one priority at the college.”
As part of the exercise and in response to the simulated crisis, a Boeing CH47 Chinook helicopter piloted by a Civil Support Strike Team landed on the college’s rugby field, off loading an all-terrain vehicle.
Major Lance Woodard, deputy commander for the 2nd Civil Support Team, said they had the opportunity to deploy the CH- 47 asset as part of their exercise, flying their command group, downrange entries and needed equipment.
When asked, Woodard said it wasn’t that difficult to get the CH- 47 in the air from their airfield in Rochester, N.Y.
“For us, it’s just sending in an air mission request, based on what our requirements are and what we want to get out of it,” Woodard said. “For us, it seems pretty seamless and it’s handled by the aviation unit.”
Woodard said typically, because of the location from the base to Hamilton College, it would be quicker to drive from their base at Stratton International Guard but by f lying for the first time, their standard operating procedures were validated, proving they’re prepared in that aspect.
“I think these exercises are important because they allow us to work with our first repsonder communities,” Woodard said. “It’s great to conduct this training so I understand the capabilities of the first responders, I get to know who they are personally. So when an incident doesn’t happen in the future, it’s not the first time I’m meeting them.”