GARRISON- Putnam County is ready for disaster.
Dozens of emergency responders from throughout western Putnam gathered at Garrison Fire Department headquarters to welcome Neil Sweeting, District-wide Fire Chief for Metro North, who offered a public safety program for the volunteers.
In addition to members of the Philipstown and Garrison Volunteer Ambulance Corps and Putnam-Empress Paramedics, the Garrison Fire Department was accompanied by colleagues from the North Highlands, Cold Spring, and Continental Village Fire Departments.
The training consisted of a comprehensive presentation on how firefighters can safely operate during emergency calls at or near railroads. The session also included valuable discussions on real-world scenarios during train emergencies.
Brewster, during which simulated “victims” were evacuated from railroad cars
Sweeting told Mid-Hudson-News Friday: “Railroads are extremely dangerous places in which to operate. My lessons provided the ‘dos and don’ts’ as well as hazards, specialized responses, intricate equipment available, how to get victims out of railroad cars, how to open windows in times of crisis and how to communicate with Metro North headquarters. A wide range of topics was covered.”
Sweeting takes his show on the road throughout the entire Metro North network including on the Harlem, Hudson and New Haven lines.
Putnam Commissioner of Emergency Services James Oster thanked Metro North for providing the presentation. “The essential training will help keep our firefighters safe, aware, and prepared during any calls near Metro-North tracks,” he said.