VFVFCo. Participated in S.E. PA. Regional Taskforce Drill by 2nd Lieutenant Rafael Henin June 6, 2010
WEST CHESTER, PA - On Sunday June 6, 2010, Valley Forge Volunteer Fire Company took part in a large scale drill with the South Eastern Pennsylvania Regional Taskforce. Alongside fire departments from Chester, Montgomery, Philadelphia, Delaware and Buck counties, a crew from Station 68 participated in a series of emergency scenarios.
The S.E. PA. Regional Taskforce is compromised of personnel and resources that are established to provide a coordinated response to large scale emergencies and disasters. When activated, the Taskforce is deployed to assist the local fire departments. The overall scenario for this regional drill was a simulated natural gas line emergency in the West Chester area causing multiple fires. The Valley Forge Volunteer Fire Company crew was assigned to Chester County Task Force 1B alongside crews from Berwyn Fire Company , Fame Fire Company and West Bradford Fire Company.
The Station 68 crew responded to multiple scenarios on Sunday. The first scenario was a vehicle rescue. Chester County Task Force 1B responded with 2 rescue pumpers 1 engine and a ladder to a two vehicle pileup against a jersey barrier. Crews established operations and safety officers and went to work extricating the patient. The second scenario was hot air balloon fire on top of a parking garage. Crews went into service supplying the building's standpipe system and knocking down the fire on the roof. Other scenarios included a building fire and a tanker shuttle operation. Our particular Task Force also provided standby coverage for real life emergencies in the boro of West Chester.
Speeches by dignitaries such as State Fire Commissioner Edward A. Mann, Philadelphia Fire Department Lloyd Ayers as well as PEMA and FEMA representatives stressed the importance in this kind of large scale drill. This five county drill was the first of its kind in Pennsylvania and has set a precedence for future drills to come.
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