DARCY HAWES
Framingham Fire Department
How would Framingham’s public safety agencies respond if a passenger train collided with a cargo train transporting chemicals? Could Framingham handle such an event? What if a multitude of passengers on the train were critically injured? How would the hazardous chemicals be contained? If there were other bio-hazards on the train, would Framingham be able to protect the public? Framingham’s Public Safety agencies have developed extensive and comprehensive emergency plans to manage these events, now they are being put to the test.
Framingham Fire Department in conjunction with MBTA, CSX, Framingham Police Department, American Medical Response, MetroWest Medical Center, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, and Amtrak, will conduct a full-scale drill on October 19, 2002 at 11:30 a.m. The drill will take place at the CSX Nevins Railyard on Fountain Street.
The drill will simulate the collision of a MBTA commuter rail train and a CSX cargo train. This is the first drill of this magnitude that the Town of Framingham has conducted, and will be a tremendous opportunity to test emergency preparedness and response of all agencies involved. The exercise will require the collaboration of Framingham Fire Department, Police Department, Board of Health, Department of Public Works, MetroWest Medical Center, American Medical Response, MBTA, and the Fire Departments of surrounding communities.
This realistic and extensive drill will test the emergency plans in place, as well as test the ability of the Town to respond to three simultaneous emergencies: a mass casualty incident, a suspected terrorist bio-hazard incident, and a potential hazardous chemical spill. The “collision” of a MBTA commuter rail train will simulate a mass casualty incident in which moulaged patients will be extricated from the commuter rail, be treated and triaged, and transported to MetroWest Medical Center. There will also be a suspected “terrorist incident” causing possible bio-hazard contamination which will require the decontamination of rescue workers and civilians. The “collision” will also cause a potential spill from a tank car carrying a hazardous chemical.
The drill will show the strengths and the weaknesses in a simulated emergency environment, and allow public safety agencies to exercise, document, assess and improve their capabilities of responding to emergency situations. The drill will provide an opportunity to build working relationships between several agencies and demonstrate the importance and value of the Incident Command System. The full-scale drill will also demonstrate to our community the steps being taken to ensure their safety. The community will know that the Framingham Public Safety Division has gone through extensive training on extrication of passengers from commuter rail trains, response to bio-hazards and chemical hazards and that our public safety and health agencies are working together to ensure a high level of expertise and abilities in responding to a wide variety of emergencies.
The drill will also be used to evaluate the Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC). Framingham has one of just five fully certified LEPCs in the Commonwealth, and to retain full certification, the LECP must conduct a full scale exercise. Representatives from MEMA will be in attendance at the drill to evaluate and critique the exercise.
For more information on the full-scale emergency drill being held on October 19, 2002, please contact Darcy Hawes at Framingham Fire Department (508-620-4942).
