At 8:00 a.m. on Sunday April 13th, several departments of Northern Westchester were alerted to a possible explosion with multiple injuries at the Katonah Elementary School on Huntville Road in Katonah, New York. Fortunately, this was drill, carefully planned by the Katonah Fire Department and Westchester County DES to practice mass casualty and mutual aid coordination.
As arriving Car 2211 took command, he reported a "working fire" in the building, with a total of 40 children involved. EMS agencies consisting of KBHVAC, Chappaqua, Armonk, Mount Kisco, Vista, Somers, and Westchester EMS responding, creating a triage area under the direction of Armonk Chief Lucy Labriola. Additionally, Life Net 1 was requested to land in the soccer field behind the school, and was handled by Mount Kisco Mutual Engine 102.
To handle the "fire", a hydrant was hit on Huntville Road by Katonah Engine 115, with supply lines laid to Engine 116, Engine 117, as well as Bedford Hills Engine 198. Truck company operations were performed by Tower Ladder 14 and Tower Ladder 57, and FAST teams were also put into operation from Bedford Hills and Yorktown. Overseeing command was Katonah Chief Joseph Smith (2211) and WCDES Battalion 16, along with the new Field Comm unit.
Following the drill, all were invited back to Katonah headquarters for food and debriefing. However, as we began to dig in, a call came for a possible structure fire at 111 Black Spring Road, with tankers from Pound Ridge and South Salem, as well as Tower Ladder 57 from Bedford Hills. On arrival of Car 2041, the fire was determined to be an overheating griddle, and all units were returned to quarters. Bedford EMS crews also handled a mutual aid KBHVAC call at 41 Pine Hill Drive during the event.
