Metro Smoke Incident Prompts Full-Scale Emergency Drills
GREENBELT, Md. (WJZ)--Emergency response training after a D.C. metro fills with smoke killing one woman. Today a full-scale emergency drill brought first responders to the Greenbelt metro station.
Marcus Washington has more the techniques practiced.
Within a moment's notice tragedy can strike and metro transit wants first responders ready.
Sunday brought metro personnel, Prince Georges's County Fire and EMS and others for a full-scale emergency response drill.
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"Simulating a response to an emergency that includes a disabled train, the evacuation of that train, the fire fighters having to use special equipment customers with disabilities and accommodating those customers after they are safely out of the station," said Dan Stessel, Metro spokesman
In January, tragedy hits as smoke fills a train stuck in the tunnel at L'Enfant Plaza
WJZ spoke with Dennean Baker who was trapped on that very train. The same train, where 61-year-old Carol Glover died, leaving Dennean and many others with emotional scares.
"That's all I keep seeing, and then to find out she's dead. It could have been more deaths on that train," said Dennean Baker.
Sunday's drills targeted things like communication between the control center and metro transit police.
All tasks are looked at as good practice for when a real world emergency hits and first responders are ready.
"The whole purpose of this is not to just say we did it, it's to learn something," Stessel said.
"Every time we do these we walk about with something new, another thing someone hasn't thought of; just another opportunity to improve our service," said Chief Marc Bashoor, Prince George's County Fire and EMS.
Today's exercise is the first of a series of quarterly full-scale drills scheduled.
