2002 Sanitation Drill
Reported by Sani-Times Newsletter, Winter 2003
On May 9, 2002, Hyperion Treatment Plant was host to a CERT training exercise that was a resounding success for the participants. Ninety-five city employees (30 from Sanitation) practiced their
skills in fire suppression, search and rescue, heavy lift operations, triage and mass casualty functions. The morning started a little late, due to an unscheduled building evacuation at 7:30 a.m.
Even though the Fire Department said there would be no problem, the fog/smoke machines warming up in the drill area of the basement set off the smoke detectors. As a result, employees in the
Pregerson Facility had to meet in their designated area outside the building until the Fire Department gave the "ALL CLEAR." At 7:45 a.m., the alarms were checked, cleared, and everyone was allowed
back inside. No more fog machines after that!
The purpose of the CERT program is to train employees to respond effectively and appropriately following an earthquake or other disaster. As first responders, they will have a great impact on the outcome of a situation: they make sure no one else is injured, they save the lives of persons already injured, and they mitigate further damage from loss of life and property. This exercise at Hyperion was designed to have employees practice their skills in a lifelike atmosphere. The highlight of the exercise was the search and rescue station. Responders performed searches in the darkness of the basement mechanical rooms - completely unfamiliar territory. Victims screamed for help and were not easy to find with only a flashlight. One victim simulated an injury on a scaffold 8 feet overhead. Needless to say, the first group missed that one. This station also tested skills involving a heavy lift operation where responders extracted a victim from under a fiberglass pipe.
Fire Station 5 in Westchester was there to support the fire hose and fire extinguisher training. "Those fire hoses look easy, till you try and move them around. With two people on the hose, it was still hard to point them in the right direction," said Linda Kennedy from the Bureau of Street Services. Captain Keith Miller of Station 5 was impressed by the training facilities available at Hyperion and the training level of the participants. The Red Cross was present to guide responders at the Triage and Mass Casualty Station. Responders sorted the victims by injury severity and provided first aid as the Search and Rescue group continued to find and transport additional victims. Pat Nagy and Steve Bro helped participants refresh their skills in a realistic pressure-filled scenario. The morning concluded with the Fire Hose Relay Competition. The relay is a challenge of teamwork, skill, and luck. This year's course, designed by William Bell of the Hyperion Division, consisted of the following elements: aiming a fire hose to knock down 5 cones, using a stretcher to carry a mannequin, and performing a ladder carryback to the finish line. Preliminary heats were timed, with the two fastest teams finishing in a head-to-head match. Eight teams competed for the trophy this year, with the Fire Department designating DWP as their stand-in. While the City Attorney Team surprised everyone, including themselves, in making the finals, the Hyperion team won the event. Congratulations are in order for Gil White, Greg Amerson, Bob Lavelle, and Frankie Bazella.
