Region V Participates In Boy Scout Disaster Drill
Release Date: November 4, 2003
Release Number: FNF-03-14
Nearly 300 Boy Scouts from the Tall Grass District of Illinois, 100 adult volunteers and 70 emergency first responders participated in an emergency preparedness drill. Local, state and federal agencies conducted hands-on training to help the scouts work toward the newly established Emergency Preparedness BSA Award. The event was established in response to the Department of Homeland Security challenge to the Boy Scouts to build upon the foundation of the Get Ready campaign and to help citizens across the country prepare for emergencies of all kinds
The drill was held in a mock disaster area at the Edward Hines Jr., VA Hospital in the western suburbs of Chicago. It began at 8:00 a.m. with a flag raising ceremony attended by volunteers, scouts and VA Hospital officials including hospital Director Jack Hetrick and Associate Director Marianne Semrad. Following the ceremony, scouts were split into groups of 15 and sent through 12 testing "stations" which included simulations of a demolished building, search for injured victims and setting up a control perimeter.
Firefighters from several area departments demonstrated a flash fire using a room simulator, to show the scouts how quickly fire and toxic smoke spread. The Boy Scouts were also drilled on communications, command, fire control and search techniques. FEMA personnel were available to answer questions about preparedness and our mission during different types of disasters.
Personnel from the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Transportation, U.S. Army Illinois National Guard Civil Support team and Department of Energy (Argonne National Labs) demonstrated equipment and answered questions. Region V conducted briefings for the scouts on the citizen's preparedness and explained FEMA's event and provided pamphlets and brochures and copies of the Get Ready book for each of the participating scouts. Jim Opoka of Region V's National Preparedness Division was one of the key organizers of the event along with Downers Grove Fire Chief Phil Ruscetti. Other Region V participants included Jim Duncan and Jay Kinsley.
The daylong event included lunch for the scouts and a landing demonstration of the Life Star Rescue Helicopter from Loyola University Medical Center. Frank Kouba, Tall Grass Scout Leader was pleased with FEMA's participation. "The DHS participation really helped get things done, " said Kouba. "The resources FEMA brought to the table facilitated the entire process and helped smooth out some of the rough spots we encountered."
Last Modified: Tuesday, 04-Nov-2003 11:44:38