LOVELL — More than 60 first responders gathered at the Lovell Fire Station on April 6 for the third annual Communications Training Conference.
It was sponsored by the Oxford County Regional Communications Center and hosted by Lovell fire Chief Tom McKenzie. The conference was open to all first responders — fire, law enforcement and EMS personnel — throughout Maine and New Hampshire, as well as dispatchers in the two states.
Steven Mallory of Maine Emergency Management Agency spoke on communications coordination during Hurricane Sandy in the Rockaway section of New York City. Chief Darrel Fournier from the Freeport, Maine Fire Department spoke on responding to major weather disasters, including the Maine deployment to Hurricane Sandy. He also discussed the importance of teamwork in the Incident Command System, and how to define operations during an emergency.
Additionally, Oxford County Sheriff Wayne J. Gallant spoke on crime scene preservation, with a focus on sharing tips and ideas that can minimize and mitigate the contamination of crime scene evidence. Discussion also included crime scenes involving fire, death, sexual assaults and responses in active school shootings.
The keynote speaker was Chief John Oates from East Hartford (Conn.) Fire Department. His presentation on Response to Violent Incidents included the nine questions first responders should ask that could help keep personnel out of harm’s way in a potentially violent situation.
Officials said that as tragic events have shown, not every violent incident can be anticipated, but fire, EMS and law enforcement experts agree that a coordinated response from agencies that work and train together can often make a difference.
Chief Oates also facilitated a discussion on how to integrate the nine questions for the response agencies in local communities.
The noontime pot-roast meal was prepared by the Lovell Fire Department. The conference was funded by an Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program through the Maine Emergency Management Agency.
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- Chief John Oates from the East Hartford (Conn.) Fire Department talks to first responders at the third annual Communications Training Conference in Lovell.
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