| On Sunday, August 23, the Selden Fire Department hosted a multi-agency training exercise at the Glacier Ridge Mountain Bike Trails behind Brookhaven Town Hall. The drill focused on preparing first responders for medical emergencies involving mountain bikers and other trail users in areas that can be difficult to access with traditional emergency vehicles.
Members of the Selden Fire Department were joined by crews from Medford Volunteer Ambulance, Farmingville Fire Department, and Centereach Fire Department. Working together, responders practiced locating and accessing simulated injured mountain bikers using four-wheel-drive rescue vehicles, assessing and triaging patients, packaging them for safe movement, and extricating them from the trail system to locations accessible by an ambulance.
The training provided crews with an opportunity to practice the unique challenges associated with emergencies in wooded and off-road environments. Unlike incidents occurring along a roadway or in a residence, emergencies on the trails can require responders to navigate difficult terrain, coordinate multiple specialized vehicles, and safely move patients considerable distances before they can be transferred to an ambulance.
Exercises like this also provide an important opportunity for neighboring fire and EMS agencies to train together before an actual emergency occurs. By practicing communications, access, patient care, and extrication as a unified team, responders are better prepared to efficiently coordinate resources when minutes matter.
We were also pleased to welcome Suffolk County Legislator Nick Caracappa and Town of Brookhaven Councilman Neil Manzella, who joined us during the training and had an opportunity to see firsthand how our local emergency services prepare for incidents in these unique environments.
The Selden Fire Department thanks Medford Volunteer Ambulance, Farmingville Fire Department, Centereach Fire Department, Legislator Caracappa, and Councilman Manzella for joining us. We appreciate the continued cooperation among our neighboring agencies and community leaders as we work together to keep our residents and visitors safe.
Train together. Respond together. Serve together. |
