Trainings keep schools and communities
in state of readiness
Henniker/Weare tabletop exercise
On July 25, staff members from SAU 24, which includes Weare and Henniker, filled the John Stark Regional High School library, joined by HSEM, NH Division of Emergency Services and Communications, and local first responders for a tabletop exercise. Participants went through variations of a hostile actor scenario, each tailored to their schools during different times of day. This all-day endeavor could only happen with the hard work of the Weare and Henniker communities to organize and enact the event. HSEM was there to facilitate and help run the exercises as the participants went through their emergency operation plans (EOPs) step by step, figuring out gaps and brainstorming ways to improve their plans.
SAU 81 tabletop exercise
On Tuesday, September 10, HSEM conducted a reunification training exercise at Alvirne High School in Hudson. This was a tabletop exercise with SAU 81, the school district for Hudson and also had representatives from HSEM, he Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Division of Emergency Services and Communications (DESC), and Hudson police and fire.
A reunification plan is the process that takes place after a school lockdown or an evacuation event to reunite students with their families. The specific example looked at in this exercise was an evacuation due to a hazardous material exposure of carbon monoxide. The goal was to get the student population from each respective school in the district to the Hudson Community Center. Each school developed their own plan for the scenario and answered a set of questions, each one coming up with something different that worked for their location and student population.
In the first of three sessions the focus was on getting to the reunification site. The groups discussed how the plan would be initiated, where the reunification site was, how students and staff will be transported, who is in charge and how they will physically set up the reunification site. Everyone had different plans on getting to the site depending on how far they were. Some planned to walk while others needed bussing. Each school put someone in charge, and then proceeded to draw out and plan the layout of the reunification site. The second session focused on delegating roles and tasks within the staff and the process of notifying and reuniting parents with their children. The final session involved the tough conversations that come with a scenario like this, from concerned parents to affected children.
Exeter Drill
On August 5, HSEM and the town of Exeter held an exercise involving a hostile intruder in a school. Police, EMS, volunteers, and fire personnel took part in the exercise. Blue simulation handguns were used as police ran through single and multi-person drills, targeting an active shooter. Police, fire and EMS gathered just outside the building, first each going in alone, with group exercises to come in the latter half of the day. Observers and evaluators ran in alongside police when the horns started the exercise, watching how each officer got into the building and actions of the first responders as they went through multiple runs of the exercise. EMS and fire personnel came in after the police, practicing their own policies and protocols.
LEFT: Chief of Training, Exercise and Development Bob Christensen and FEMA Preparedness FIT John Pelletier look over equipment.
Concord Hospital Laconia Active Drill
Chief of Training, Exercise and Development Bob Christensen gives a briefing before the Concord Hospital drill.
On August 21, Concord Hospital’s Laconia facility joined with local fire, police, EMS and HSEM staff members to conduct an exercise. Outside, an ambulance from a local fire department was waiting, and police stood watch. Hostage negotiations went on in in the ambulance bay, and a combination of paramedic and nurses were practicing inside against potential intruders. Nurses comforted the “patient” and barricaded rooms while also making sure real patients were made aware of the drill and being taken care of at the same time. Police had their hostage negotiators practice buying time with the “assailant,” with other police, reporters, hospital staff and observers watching. After the drill, each group talked about what they did well, what they could improve on, and made commentary about how they interpreted what others did. This was the second in a series of drills being done with Concord Hospital. The first took place in Franklin on May 1. A third one took place on September 25.
Insurance Department Active Threat Drill
On July 2, HSEM supported the New Hampshire Insurance Department with drills to practice their active shooter response plan. During the drills, staff enacted their plan and made personal decisions about what to do. HSEM evaluators observed the drills and identified what went well and any areas that needed further attention or training.
Disaster Declaration Updates
July 10-13 declaration
Coos and Grafton counties qualified for aid after President Joe Biden granted a request on August 20 for a major disaster declaration in response to severe storms and flooding from July 10-13 that resulted in significant costs to local communities.
April 3-5 declaration
On July 10, President Joe Biden granted a request for a major disaster declaration in response to an April nor’easter that resulted in significant costs to local communities. Belknap, Carroll, Rockingham and Sullivan were included in the original declaration.
On July 23, Grafton County was added to the previously declared disaster. Grafton County reached its predetermined disaster declaration threshold for the nor’easter that occurred April 3-5 after HSEM continued to work with FEMA and local emergency management officials on preliminary damage assessments (PDAs).
New Castle Lighthouse PDA
Chief of Mitigation and Recovery Austin Brown looks on as a representative from FEMA assesses damage.
HSEM staff members alongside FEMA inspected the lighthouse in New Castle on July 24 for a preliminary damage assessment (PDA). Representatives from the American Lighthouse Foundation, who have responsibility over the lighthouse, were there to show FEMA and HSEM the damage that occured in January and talk about the importance of the lighthouse.
Radiological Emergency Preparedness
Out-of-Sequence Events
The Radiological Emergency Preparedness (REP) Section continues to work through the remaining out-of-sequence events for this calendar year. During this quarter, the REP Section conducted a Seabrook Summit Meeting, a Medical Services-1 (MS-1) drill, and a Technical Visit with FEMA Headquarters.
The Seabrook Summit held on September 18 assembled all 17 Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) communities in New Hampshire and the three Host Communities to continue improving the State’s REP program. Topics discussed were: Potassium Iodide (KI) distribution process, available training, guidance on reimbursement requests, State planning updates, and upcoming events. The summit ensured that all the communities’ needs were being met. Additionally Dave Currier and Mike Finnegan from NextEra Energy Seabrook Station provided all attendees with a tour of the Incident Field Office (IFO) to include the Emergency Offsite Facility (EOF).
The MS-1 drill was conducted on September 25 at Wentworth Douglas Hospital in coordination with Dover Fire Department and the Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) to evaluate their ability to respond to a radiological incident. These exercises are required annually and are federally evaluated biannually. The scenario was to treat, transport, and decontaminate a contaminated individual from the Seacoast. The drill was observed by FEMA evaluators in which they provided feedback and best practices for the future, but also found the overall coordination and response was successful.
At the conclusion of HSEM’s REP exercise cycle in April, the agency met with FEMA Region 1 and their technical specialist on best practices nationwide. This meeting was conducted on September 5 with a Health Physicist from FEMA Headquarters where he provided a briefing on field monitoring and accident assessment best practices to HSEM leadership. Additionally, discussion centered around upcoming revision changes to federal guidance, equipment maintenance, and reception center operations best practices. Attendees included FEMA region 1, HSEM Chiefs, REP section staff, Radiological Instrumentation Maintenance and Calibration Facility staff (RIMC), and the Division of Public Health Services staff.
Community Outreach Activity
Friends-A-Palooza Balloon Rally Multicultural Festival
The Community Outreach Office participated in the Concords Friends Program’s third annual Friends-A-Palooza on July 27, the Suncook Valley Balloon Rally in Pittsfield on August 3 and the Multicultural Festival in Concord on September 22. HSEM staff members spoke with attendees about emergency preparedness and distributed materials. Ready the Prepared Puppy also made an appearance at the three events and made lots of new friends.
SRO Conference
The 2024 School Resource Officer Conference spanned two days in mid August. Speakers engaged the audience in how to connect with the kids in their schools, and how to educate students in how the law works and what their rights are. There was discussion of school policies and what is and isn’t allowed to be searched, as well as what kinds of permissions parents sign when they send their kids to school.
RIGHT: A presentation on student rights.
Career Fairs
The New England Career Fair was held on September 10 to introduce students to potential employers. Healthcare, state, and private-sector organizations informed students about what they did and what opportunities might await them. HSEM visited with a variety of majors – cybersecurity, animation, fine art, business, and more.
On September 25, HSEM attended the career and Internship fair for the University of New Hampshire. HSEM joined over 60 other vendors the students could meet with to discuss future employment opportunities. The team met with over 30 students throughout the day with varying educational backgrounds. The booth handed out emergency preparedness materials to all the visitors.
Anyone who would like to join our team can find current job openings on the Department of Safety website. Students who would like to apply for an internship can do so on the HSEM Resource Center.
Upcoming trainings
To view the full list of upcoming training sessions and to register, please visit https://prd.blogs.nh.gov/dos/hsem/?page_id=1055.
Spaces are limited, so we encourage you to secure your spot as soon as possible!
