Explorer Scouts Run Disaster Drill
Engine 50, manned by six men and Acting 2nd Assistant Chief Sean White, responded to a reported car fire at the Springhurst School in Dobbs Ferry, N. Y. When they arrived they noticed that the fire had spread to the adjoining building. The fire was already out of control and 15 persons were trapped in the building.
White immediately ordered a second alarm struck, bringing Ladder 23 and Engine 49 to the scene. Mutual aid fire companies and additional ambulances would be needed.
It sounds like a real tough situation, and it would have been if it had been real. But it was only a disaster drill. On the other hand, it was not a drill in the usual sense. Acting Chief John M. Cullen, one of the oldest on the fireground, was only 17 years old. Also, there were members of several Explorer Posts of the Westchester-Putnam Council, a division of the Boy Scouts, from the surrounding villages of Dobbs Ferry, Ardsley, Irvington, and Valhalla.
The idea of a junior disaster drill arose when 1st Lieutenant George Longworth proposed a drill of some kind involving Explorer Posts from the surrounding villages. The officers each wrote a first draft of the proposed drill, and all three were combined into one final draft.
Explorers plan drill
A week later, the junior officers, along with Adviser Bob McNicholas had another meeting and they decided that the drill would be run strictly by Explorer members, except for the drivers of the fire apparatus and ambulance vehicles.
Immediately after the meeting, the officers went to work on final preparations for the drill. There were a number of things we had to do, such as ask the chief of the fire department if we could use the spare apparatus. This was also the case for the mutual aid companies which were due to respond. Our department photographer took pictures of the drill site to be used at our briefing class held a week before the drill, and we had to get permission to use the school from the superintendent of schools and the Dobbs Ferry School Board. A member of the Dobbs Ferry Junior Fire Department drew a map of the school and the surrounding area. We contacted the disaster drill chief of Westchester County, who arranged for an artist to make up the victims of the drill for miscellaneous injuries.
The day of the drill arrived quickly, and it was destined to be a full day of action put in by the members participating. It started at 10 ^a.m. with makeup for the victims. They were placed at the scene at 11 a.m. after a meeting for any final questions. The companies were allowed 15 minutes to go back to their own firehouses to get ready to respond.
Disaster starts
At 11:30 a.m., the “disaster,” which had been worked on for weeks, was put into effect. A janitor walking down a hallway in the school noticed a distinct odor of smoke. He investigated further and discovered a blazing car beside the school in the west parking lot. He immediately telephoned the police, who dispatched Engine 50.
Upon arrival, fire fighters saw that the car was positioned under the awning of the parking lot with flames impinging upon the building. They immediately ordered a second alarm to be struck. While waiting for the arrival of the second-due companies, they expended the 150-gallon booster tank.
Engine 49 was ordered to connect to a hydrant on the adjacent Children’s Village School property with soft suction. Engines 49 and 50 both stretched a 2 1/2 -inch line half way and connected the lines in the middle of the driveway. Ladder 23 positioned to the left of Engine 50 and prepared to ventilate the roof and check for extension of fire. A command post under the supervision of Acting Chief John Cullen was set up directly in front of the Springhurst School.
Extension of fire reported
Ladder 23 sent a message to the command post that the fire had extended throughout the second floor. Engine 50 was ordered to send a crew with a 2 1/2 -inch line to attack the fire by the south stairwell. Engine 49 took a second 2 1/2-inch line off Engine 50 and stretched around to the north stairwell and held the fire from extending.
Crews from Ladder 23 also sent word of about 15 persons trapped in the faculty room. Cullen requested an engine company from both Irvington and Ardsley. He requested additional ambulances.
Ardsley Engine 164 was positioned at the front door of the school and a supply line was stretched to Engine 50. The crew of Engine 164 then stretched a 2 1/2-inch line down the main corridor and directly across from the faculty room to keep the main point of egress open and to assist in evacuation of the victims.
Engine 177 from Irvington responded up the secondary dirt road in back of the school and connected up to a hydrant with 2 1/2-inch suction lines. That company also stretched a 2 1/2 -inch line into the building through the rear exit to hold the fire which was now directly across from the faculty room. A crew from Irvington assisted in evacuation.
Triage area established
A triage area was set up by ambulances responding from Ardsley, Dobbs Ferry and Irvington. The patients were transported from the scene to Dobbs Ferry Hospital, where future doctors and nurses of the Dobbs Ferry Hospital Medical Explorer Post examined the victims.
When all victims were accounted for, all crews were ordered out of the building for fear of structural weakness. A 2 1/2-inch line from Engine 50 and another from 164 were stretched to Ladder 23 for ladder pipe operations. Then 2 1/2-inch lines were taken off Engines 164, 177 and 50 and positioned around the involved portion of the building. A second 2 1/2-inch supply line was stretched between Engines 49 and 50 for an adequate water supply for the ladder pipe. Hand lines were put into use for mop-up operations until 1:31 p.m., when the “fire” was declared under control by the chief.
A critique of the drill followed at fire department headquarters in Dobbs Ferry. All advisers and post officers were pleased with the overall operations. It was slso brought to our attention that the drill was the first Explorer drill of its kind in the State of New York.
The drill was set up for mainly one thing—to test our fire fighting and first-aid skills in the hope that if a disaster of this kind should ever occur, we would be fully prepared to help deal with it.
