What Goes In, Must Go Out

Another excellent bomb drill at a major trade building. This one though created some concern to those that received phone calls, as it appeared so real that people thought it was the real thing. It was just a DRILL! These folks really know how to conduct an exercise with multiple agencies and jurisdictions involved.

With all the vehicles and traffic in this downtown area, it got me thinking about the location of vehicle staging areas.



Notice the clear paths in the picture. Emergency vehicles can easily go in and out. The fire trucks have easy access to the building.

It is also important to take a look at the staging area and other traffic in the area.

Here are some things to consider when setting up a vehicle staging area, many of these items were a non-issue for this drill, but just things for others to consider.

• When arriving on the scene, it is important to determine the best way to leave. The concept of what goes in, must go out.
  


• Will vehicles need to cross paths/intersections in order to get to the exits points?
  


• If fire trucks are lined up next to ambulances, are the ambulances best positioned to transfer the patients from the medical area to transport?
  
  
  
• Could that area be set up in such a way that multiple ambulances could be lined up to load mulitple patients?
  


• If fire trucks are in the staging area, do they have easy access and a clear path to the building?
  


• Where is the incident command post setup in relation to all of this?
  


• And above all, if the building were to collapse, are all the vehicles, people, and responders far enough away that they will not be harmed?

As they often say, it is all about "Location, location, location"

Pictured above are some of the members we have been working with from the Urban Search and Rescue Team.

Another great exercise, job well done!