The Lincoln County Emergency Management team held quarterly training at the Newcastle Fire Station June 28.
Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) expert from the Maine National Guard Major Brad Kelso conducted a special training on weapons of mass destruction for the gathered firefighters.
“WMD’s are not just bombs,” said Kelso. “They can be biological weapons, in water systems or airborne contaminants and it is very important that these folks know just what to do.”
Kelso explained local volunteers are the first line of defense for towns across the country, “These volunteers are the real community in community spirit.”
Kelso invited the firefighters, EMT’s and emergency operations attendees to join him at the former Brunswick Naval Air Station in August for a practice drill.
“The Brunswick drill is important. We often call on these country units to assist with more populated areas,” he said. “The August drill gives these folks a chance to meet and work with a lot of others from around the state. Cohesiveness in a crisis is paramount. This kind of drill helps everyone.”
Lincoln County Commissioner Sheridan Bond was on hand to accept delivery of the old HazMat trailer, on behalf of the Lincoln County Fire Academy.
Although it’s no longer road-worthy, the trailer is useful for storage and for training exercises and will be housed in Wiscasset.
Two new high-tech trailers replace the old unit.
The new, bright yellow trailer houses a full decontamination unit.
These decontamination shower trailers are the first response to an emergency. The Lincoln County team can deploy the unit with on-board water in a matter of minutes allowing for quick and efficient flow of people through them.
In the event that larger groups of people need assistance, Lincoln County has a new decontamination tent. This tent, deployed at the same time as the trailer, can be set up if needed. It inflates from flat to functional in less than three minutes.
In an emergency, this would allow more people to be showered and decontaminated in a minimum amount of time. The team practiced setting up the $10,000 tent on Thursday, and was pleased with its efficient design.
Ongoing trainings are an integral part of preparedness. Lincoln County Emergency Management will hold its next training at the Waldoboro Fire Station on Aug. 29.
The Lincoln County Emergency Management team serves the Midcoast Maine communities of: Alna, Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Bremen, Bristol, Damariscotta, Dresden, Edgecomb, Jefferson, Monhegan Island, Newcastle, Nobleboro, Somerville, South Bristol, Southport, Waldoboro, Westport Island, Whitefield and Wiscasset.
