2019 Annual Brush Fire Drill – Myles Standish State Forest (Photo’s by Retired, Firefighter, Mike Terrill) - April 28, 2019

This year’s Annual Deputy’s Drill focused on a large scale Wildfire in the Myles Standish State Forest.  Over 170 Officers and Firefighters from twelve Towns and State agencies, utilizing 16 Brush Breakers, 5 Tankers, 2 Engines, Fire Plane 1-0, State Incident Support Unit, numerous Command Vehicles and Chief Officers participated in the morning exercise.  The drill tested Plymouth County’s Myles Standish Response Plan used for any wildfire that might strike the State Forest.  Multiple mutual aid radio frequencies and 800 patches were utilized to help organize the different sectors of Command, Operations, Right and Left Flanks, Water Supply, Staging and Fire Plane 1-0.  Brush Breakers were assigned to simulated flanks of the fire, driving through a wood road course utilizing all the water each carried.  Multiple water supplies were established by Engine companies, with Tankers shuttling over 50,000 gallon of water to areas close to each flank for breakers to quickly fill up and get back to work.  During the exercise Fire Plane 1-0 responded to a simulated spot fire on the fringe of the forest, guiding breakers into the area to extinguish.  Overall, the exercise was big success, with our pre-plan tested and everyone learning something, especially how to use winches….  Hats off to Deputy Germaine for organizing the drill and all the Chief Officers and Officers from surrounding communities for giving up their Sunday to help!  Props to the chefs back at Station 1 that served almost 200 hamburgers and hot dogs to the hungry troops at the conclusion of the drill. (Photo’s by Retired Firefighter, Mike Terrill)