This year’s Annual Deputy’s Drill focused on a large-scale Wildfire in the Myles Standish State Forest. An estimated 150 Officers and Firefighters from 15 Towns and State agencies, utilizing 11 Brush Breakers, 3 Forestry Trucks, 3 Tankers, 3 Engines, a 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 were utilized to help organize the different sectors of Command, Breaker Operations, Forestry Operations, Right and Left Flanks, Water Supply, and Staging for three separate/simulated fire incidents within the State Forest. Brush Breakers were assigned to simulated flanks of the fire, driving through a wood road course utilizing all the water each carried. A second wildfire scenario was initiated utilizing Forestry apparatus off of Halfway Pond Road in the State Forest. In this simulation, Forestry Apparatus drove a wooded course, stopping to extinguish simulated wildfires along the way. A Carver Engine company established a water supply for both wildfire fire scenarios, with Tankers shuttling over 15,000 gallons of water to areas close to each flank for breakers and forestry trucks to quickly fill up and get back to work. Operators from the ISU assisted the Command Post with multiple drone missions, overlooking the Forestry and Brush Breakers operational areas. Overall, the exercise was a big success, with our pre-plan tested and everyone learning something. Hats off to Deputy Germaine for organizing the drill, CFD Assistant Deputy Boyle, our Officer core and Chiefs and Officers from surrounding communities for giving up their Sunday to help! Big props to the Chief and Deputy’s wives, our Station coverage crew and our awesome chefs back at Station 1 who served almost 200 hamburgers and hot dogs to the hungry troops at the conclusion of the drill. (Photo’s by Future CFD Firefighter, Matt Heath)
