Years after Irene, Vermont towns prepare for next big storm
Hundreds of first responders run statewide disaster simulations
Hundreds of first responders run statewide disaster simulations
Hundreds of first responders run statewide disaster simulations
Eight years ago, Lee Ann Isaacson was working, catering a wedding party in downtown Pittsfield, but Hurricane Irene had other plans.
"We ended up basically stranded for five days before anyone could get to us," Isaacson said.
In 2011, Hurricane Irene damaged more than 7,000 homes and cost the state of Vermont millions of dollars.
"The hardest thing (was) communication," Isaacson said, adding she was unable to reach her husband for days after Pittsfield's bridges were washed out.
This week, communication was on the agenda during the state of Vermont's disaster preparedness drills taking place across the state.
In Pittsfield, search and rescue teams worked to simulate their response to an Irene-level storm.
"We're doing a scenario where there's been a flooding incident and there are some missing people," said Neil Van Dyke, who works as a search and rescue coordinator with the Vermont Department of Public Safety.
For just a few hours on Wednesday, the town of Pittsfield was at the epicenter of a massive search and rescue simulation.
"We're on the ground with about 42 (to) 43 people," explained Michael Cannon from Vermont Urban Search and Rescue. "We bring with us specialized K-9s that locate people that are lost in collapsed buildings."
Search dogs, technical gear and tons of communications equipment were all on display Wednesday.
In the woods of Pittsfield, crews searched for mannequins and volunteers, mimicking a search for lost persons after a flood.
"I think the biggest shortcoming, and this is why this exercise is happening, is to work out the communications," said Charles Piso, Pittsfield's Selectboard chair and head of the town's Emergency Management team.
Despite concerns, Wednesday's exercise seemed to go according to plan, appearing to show first responders are ready for the next Irene.
Emergency preparedness drills are scheduled to run through Friday (10/25) and will take place across dozens of towns in Vermont.