Thursday, 04 May 2023 16:14

If Tragedy Strikes: Multiple Law Enforcement, Medical Agencies Stage Full-Scale Mass Casualty Training Exercise at SPAC

Simulated training exercise focusing on a mass casualty response was staged at SPAC April 30, 2023. Photo by Thomas Dimopoulos. Simulated training exercise focusing on a mass casualty response was staged at SPAC April 30, 2023. Photo by Thomas Dimopoulos.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Approximately 17 regional agencies and 400 people took part in a simulated training exercise focusing on a mass casualty response on April 30 at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. 

The training focused on coordination and emergency response during several simulated scenarios that envisioned an incident involving a large number of injuries at the venue during a concert. 

“We’re doing this to make sure we are as safe as we can be for the patrons of the park and for concertgoers,” Jeffrey Santor, sergeant with the NYS Park Police and division emergency manager said during the Sunday morning exercise. 

The exercise involved personnel from Park Police, New York State Police, Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, Saratoga Springs City Police and Fire Departments, local EMS Agencies as well as operations staff from Saratoga Spa State Park, Live Nation and SPAC. Saratoga Hospital, Albany Medical Center and their regional partners concurrently staged an exercise to measure how the simulated event would affect their emergency plans.

Planning for the exercise began last July. Public volunteers played the role of concert-goers.

“It was a lot of work to get us to the point to where we’re at today. “We have done some stuff with the Saratoga Springs PD here before, (but) this is the first one in a number of years with multiple agencies all working together,” Santor said.       

“It was a very successful exercise and hopefully we gained some knowledge to help keep everybody safe in future events at SPAC.” 

Read 801 times

Blotter

  • Saratoga County Court Gregory Adams, 47, of Malta, pleaded to grand larceny in the fourth-degree charged October 2023. Sentencing June 28.  Anthony J. Torres, 25, of Waterford, pleaded to aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the first-degree, charged April 2023 in Greenfield, and robbery in the third-degree, charged in Waterford January 2024. Sentencing June 28. Travis L. Smith, 23, of Greenfield Center, pleaded to attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree, charged January 2023. Sentencing June 28.  Jammel A. Dillon, 33, of Saratoga Springs, was sentenced to 2-1/2 to 5 years after pleading to felony…

Property Transactions

  • CORINTH Joan Ham sold property at 73 Hunt Lake Rd to Brandon Siebert for $300,000 GALWAY Jeanette Lendl sold property at 5815 Parkis Mills Rd to Gregory Stina for $105,700 MALTA  Betsy Adams sold property at 35 Meadow Rue Place to Paul Burke for $275,000 Dennis Ormond sold property at 168 Thimbleberry Rd to MZM Equity Holdings for $325,000 Malta Land Company sold property at 2 Americas Cup Court to John Jantson for $791,436 Michael Lyeth sold property at 3 Tuckaway Meadows to Valeria Mican for $525,000 Arti Wagner sold property at 35 Century Dr to Lin Xuezhen for $580,000…
  • NYPA
  • Saratoga County Chamber
  • BBB Accredited Business
  • Discover Saratoga
  • Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Association