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TRT members participate in a trench drill in Avoca borough. (August 2001)

Preliminary Report from the August 11th trench rescue drill...

The Luzerne County Technical Rescue Team conducted a live trench rescue
operation exercise on Saturday, August 11, 2001.

The objectives of this operation were to test the ICS Plan as related to
Trench protocol;

1. Assess the adequate deployment, effectiveness and quantity of technical
supplies and equipment as related to trench rescue.

2. Assess the effectiveness of the trench rescue training program and
personnel response to "worst case" incident.

3. Conduct safe and effective trench rescue and victim retrieval using
recognized and acceptable techniques.

The core of the TRT-LC consists of rescue personnel and a special equipment
cache from the communities of Avoca, Kingston, Mountain Top, Nanticoke,
Plains and West Hazleton Fire/Rescue departments and is assisted by the
Luzerne County EMA. Jointly the departments plan, drill and respond to
technically complex rescue situations including high angle rope rescue,
confined space incidents, trench incidents and structural collapse search and
rescue requests.

Saturdays trench rescue exercise was the first of its kind to be conducted in
Luzerne county and was considered "live" meaning all hazards and operational
considerations were actual and not simulated. The only simulation was the
buried victim which was a rescue mannequin.

The response was from level 1 staging location in Avoca (a standby location
near an incident as directed by the first arriving TRT unit) to the trench
site several blocks away. Participating from the TRT units was Avoca Engine
and Rescue 71, Chief 71 and Avoca EMS. Additional responding units were
Plains Rescue 211 and Collapse Truck 211, and Kingston Unit 9. and Luz. Co.
EMA Truck #1. A total of 30 rescuers took part in the rescue.

The newly developed ICS plan and Accountability system were placed into
operation early into the operation by Avoca Fire and Rescue units. Incident
Command made notifications to the other responding TRT units and verified a
victim present and that the operation was in "RESCUE MODE."

The  Trench situation was discovered to be complex in nature being an "L"
shaped trench with partial collapse of the inside L corner onto the victim.
Several simultaneous shoring operations and "planning" sector teams were
established to meet the situation.  2 different rescue approaches were
undertaken to reach and free the victim from the waist level entrapment.

During critique, the drill was seen as a safe and successful operation on all
objectives.  

A technical report will be issued to all Primary Unit Officers in the near
future.

   For additional information on the Technical Rescue Team, e-mail: TRT Coordinator