Rock Community Fire Protection District

1533 Jeffco Blvd.

Arnold, MO 63010

636.296.2211,  fax 636.296.2202

cert@rockfire-rescue.org

November 30, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-

"Building Collapse in Sullivan Will Test

Heavy Rescue Task Force This Saturday"

•Ø      The St. Louis Metro Heavy-Rescue Task Force 5 will be hosting an all-day disaster deployment drill this Saturday, December 1, 2007 in a simulated hotel building collapse.

•Ø      The deployment drill will test the capabilities of the Task Force 5 rescuers that have responded to a commercial hotel building collapse. The Task Force will set up their full rescue response in the manner they have been training on for the past 18 months. Items such as team organization, equipment deployment, communications and use of the Incident Command System (ICS) will all be evaluated.

•Ø      The Task Force 5 Heavy Rescue Technicians have all put in over 224 hours of specialized emergency and disaster response and rescue training in areas such as trench collapse, confined space, building collapse, auto extrication, hazardous materials and swift water rescue. Task Force 5 members represent agencies in Jefferson and Franklin Counties. Many responders have volunteered their time for this training. Funding for the Task Force Rescue Teams equipment and training was made available through local Department of Homeland Security Grant funding.

•Ø      The Task Force 5 Deployment Drill will begin on Saturday morning with check-in at 09:00 AM and the drill will commence at 10:00 AM. This exercise will run for a full "24-hour operational period", meaning the Task Force rescue crews will be working overnight to accomplish their rescue objectives.

•Ø      The drill will be conducted at the old Executive Inn Hotel site, located at 309 North Outer Road in Sullivan, MO (63080), near the West Brothers Chrysler and Ford dealerships.

•Ø      "Over the next two days, we will offer a very realistic setting for the Task Force 5 responders to exercise in" stated Task Force 5 Team Leader Kevin Wissman.  "this is where we will  evaluate our readiness to respond and see if our equipment meets the needs for the Task Force 5  Regional response mission".

•Ø      Media is encouraged to visit the 2-day drill, the Command Team asks that all media report to the Command Post upon arrival for check-in and accountability

For further information about this exercise, contact:

Kevin Wissman- Team Leader

St. Louis Metro Heavy Rescue Task Force 5

Mobile # 636.262.0305

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