Recently, Sayville Fire Department volunteer firefighters participated in a county-wide drill at the Suffolk County Fire Academy in Yaphank. The purpose of this drill was to simulate a large-scale incident where multiple responding agencies (police, hazmat, technical rescue, etc.) had to work together in an effective and cohesive manner under highly stressful conditions. Approximately 300 people took part in this disaster simulation from Nassau and Suffolk County.

The drill’s deployment orders were faxed to the firehouse indicating that they were to go to the staging area at the SW corner of Glover Drive and Yaphank Avenue, which was the site of an F3 tornado that left extensive damage to several structures and reports of numerous injuries, missing and trapped victims. Firefighters were to respond with the proper equipment for an event of this magnitude and have enough supplies to be self-sufficient for a five-hour period.

Sayville Fire Department volunteer firefighters fight a tanker fire at a county-wide drill at the Suffolk County Fire Academy in Yaphank

Sayville’s bravest geared up and took one pumper with a crew out to the site of the “tornado”. Multiple emergency scenarios were staged on the grounds to simulate a real disaster area at the Suffolk County Fire Academy… and it did look like a disaster area! Vehicles were overturned and into buildings, hazardous material containers were on the grounds, buildings and a tanker was on fire. There were also collapse and trench rescue emergencies. We can’t forget the victims…some human and some “dummies”. The scenarios were set up to put a variety of specialized skills of each responding organization to work.

Sayville firefighters’ were first assigned to the scene of a burning building with a possible hazardous materials condition nearby. Upon completion of that assignment, where they worked with West Islip firefighters, they were assigned to handle a tanker fire with a nearby car with trapped victims. They worked as a team with West Islip and Blue Point firefighters who they have never worked with before to save the trapped victims and to put out the tanker fire.

Sayville volunteer firefighters put their extensive training and experience to use during this drill. They showed that they are able to work effectively under extreme pressure and to quickly adapt to changing conditions. In addition, they showed that they are able to team up with firefighters they’ve never worked with before to and get the job done.

Fore more drill details and photos, visit www.sayvillefd.org.