NYSAFC Hosts Technical Rescue Leadership Forum in the Capital District

On February 28, 2015, 50 leaders from New York state technical rescue teams gathered in the Capital District for the first annual Technical Rescue Leadership Forum hosted by the Special Operations Committee of the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs.

The purpose of the forum was to bring together local, regional, and state stakeholders responsible for providing technical rescue responses to natural disasters and terrorist events. The program was designed to be both didactic as well as interactive with the emphasis on learning while networking and networking to learn.

NYSAFC Director Chief Thomas Cain (Scarsdale) welcomed attendees and Committee Chairman Chief Ray Maguire (Freeport) moderated the forum. Committee member Chief Jonathan Kohan (Atlantic Beach) introduced the presenters.

The first presenter and keynote speaker was Deputy Assistant Chief (Ret.) Robert Maynes (FDNY) who discussed the genesis of the FDNY Incident Management Team (IMT) and the importance of integrating incident management into expanding incidents as well as within an urban search and rescue theater. His comments focused on how the overlay of a plans, logistics, and operations group permits a responding operational task force, or in some cases several rescue squads, to commit operational resources knowing that their back of the house needs (food, shelter, etc.) have been addressed. Using several actual case studies of incidents that occurred in New York state since September 11, Maynes adroitly demonstrated how the FDNY IMT’s stature has grown both intrastate and nationally from inception to operational prominence. With each example, Maynes illustrated the value add of integrating an IMT into an incident during the incipient stage to maximize results in theater for all first responders. Although his comments were generally confined to technical rescue and supporting the FDNY Hurricane Task Force and Special Operations throughout New York state (e.g. Broome County during Hurricanes Irene and Sandy), he noted that the IMT construct is used for many other types of expanding events of long duration that require overlay management (snowstorms, biopods).

The second portion of the forum was a panel discussion moderated by Deputy Chief (Ret.) Brian Rousseau (NYS OFPC Special Services Bureau, NY TF-2). The panel included representatives from local and regional urban search and rescue response organizations including Chief/Team Leader Jeffrey Burkart (Oriskany OTTERS), Team Manager Brett Martinez (Suffolk County USAR TF-1), Assistant County Fire Coordinator Steve Schalabba (Monroe County Technical Rescue Team), and Team Leader Chris Columbo (Westchester County Technical Rescue Task Force). The panel provided participants an opportunity to listen to divergent opinions on credentialing, resource typing, training, intrastate response under the New York State Fire Mobilization and Mutual Aid Plan, and funding. Participants related their various experiences with respect to these matters and an interactive session followed. Team formation, development, maintenance, and enhancement were among the topics of interest discussed. There was universal accord that credentialing and training opportunities in New York state are deficient due to the shortage of standardized classes currently available through the regional outreach program (the NYSAFC Special Ops Committee has been working with NYS OFPC to correct this situation with good progress) and the need for greater participation in the state grant funding program for technical rescue teams (future successful applications should think regionally in approach).

The final segment of the forum was presented by Captain (Ret.) Peter Rizzo (Rochester Fire Department). The NYSAFC Special Ops Committee had requested a complete case study that demonstrated incident management within the context of an expanding incident. Using an actual hazardous materials incident and fire resulting from a train derailment in Rochester, Rizzo walked the attendees through the positive and negative attributes of the event. Delving into both operational and management intricacies, Rizzo guided the group in detail as to the need for a viable management overlay at a complex response.

At the conclusion of the presentations, Chief (Ret.) William Xikis (Selden) of the NYSAFC Special Ops Committee conducted a hot wash and debriefing. Common themes discussed included the need for more robust training offered by New York state; funding considerations for future grants to technical rescue teams; how individual teams can integrate toward a regional response and participation in the state matrix; and where the future of technical rescue in both New York and nationally is heading. It became evident that good progress is being made to advance technical rescue response with New York state, but an ongoing dialogue amongst the stakeholders, including NYS OFPC, will be required to deliver the results expected by the citizens we protect and serve.

Click here to view pictures from the event on NYSAFC’s Facebook page.