AC TRANSIT AND PIEDMONT FIRE DEPARTMENT PARTNER FOR A FIRST OF ITS KIND TRAINING TRIAGE
News Articles
05/31/2018
The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) and Piedmont Fire Department (Piedmont, CA) joined forces for a first of its kind mock mass casualty training for each of our agencies.
As public transit increasingly becomes the East Bay’s chosen method of travel, AC Transit’s newest 40-foot hybrid electric coach was an ideal platform for the three-day training. Our Gillig hybrid electric bus has emerged as the rider’s choice because each operates with dramatically lower exhaust emissions and pollutants. To achieve control of harmful emissions, the hybrid electric bus operates with high voltage batteries. This training exercise offered each Piedmont Firefighter hands on experience with de-energizing the rooftop mounted batteries and familiarization with various safety features built into each coach.
“Safety is our foremost priority. In fact, AC Transit has one of the region’s most stringent training for operators. We have even pioneered fuel cell bus maintenance and safety training in use around the globe,” says AC Transit General Manager, Michael Hursh. “It is now vital that we partner with first responders to develop best practices that support our expanding fuel cell and hybrid technology buses. We are looking forward to partnering with protective agencies throughout AC Transit’s 13 city and unincorporated service areas to literally drive the best service and deliver all-encompassing safety.”
The Piedmont Fire Department has previously conducted “tabletop” trainings; however, this is its first real time casualty training. This year, the Piedmont Fire Department wanted to provide a new, modern, and realistic training simulation. Old training standards called for firefighters, volunteers or dummy props to serve as the person rescued. To ensure it is prepared for whatever that next call requires, Piedmont Fire acquired new equipment that now includes an array of inflatable mannequins; durable enough to meet the rigorous training demands and interact with rescuers. New visible vests for area mangers, brightly colored tarps to define areas by severity, and flagging to elevate the visibility from a distance, bolster its firefighting techniques.
“The Piedmont Fire Department is grateful for this partnership with AC Transit,” says Fire Chief Warren McLaren, Piedmont Fire Department. “Previously we were reliant on Alameda County EMS resources, during a mass causality event, to bring equipment to the scene to manage an incident of any significant magnitude. Our new equipment now mirrors that of larger county fire agencies, so that it is universally familiar and prepares us to deliver better event outcomes.”
Take a look behind the scenes at the three-day training onboard an AC Transit bus in the video below.
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