‘Disaster’ Strikes Putnam Correctional Facility

Right: A “victim” is wheeled from the county jail in Carmel Monday while inside a jail cell, EMS providers assist one of the “victims” who participated in the drill. Putnam County Corrections Officer Joanna Macias called it “frightening and scary.”

The veteran officer was referring to Monday’s mock emergency exercise at the Putnam Correctional Facility that tested the ability of police, firefighters, and emergency responders to assist victims on a large scale should a disaster ever occur at the county jail.

A second exercise took place yesterday (Wednesday) while a third is planned for tomorrow (Friday) that will include members of the highly trained Putnam Emergency Response Team, a multi-agency police special weapons and tactical unit.

Each exercise included role-playing by participants who portrayed injured victims and jail inmates. A practice evacuation of real inmates was also performed, which involved low-risk prisoners who have been approved for supervised community service work outside the jail.

Undersheriff Peter Convery monitored the exercise and he praised the volunteer effort of the firefighters and EMS providers: “The drills are taking place during weekdays when most volunteers are at work. Our county’s emergency responders are second to none. The men and women answered the call and handled themselves extremely professionally.”

Lt. Patrick O’Malley said the scenario involved an explosion in the kitchen of the jail precipitated by a “full blown grease fire that sent smoke into one of the jail’s housing units where 56 inmates are kept. Those prisoners were evacuated to a secured interior exercise area. Three people suffered ‘trauma,’ including smoke inhalation, burn injuries, and a ‘broken’ leg.”

Putnam Deputy Emergency Coordinator James Ciulla, who helped to organize the drill with Commissioner of Emergency Services Robert Mc- Mahon and Sheriff Donald Smith, expressed his thanks to those who participated: “The response from the Carmel, Lake Carmel, and Mahopac Fire Departments, Carmel Volunteer Ambulance Corps, Trans Care paramedics, and EMTs was much appreciated.”

Also assisting was Putnam Director of Emergency Medical Services Robert Cuomo, Deputy Emergency Coordinator Jeffrey Boyle, members of the Putnam County Corrections staff, deputy sheriffs, and a representative of the Putnam Bureau of Emergency Services.

Sheriff Smith said the realistic, on-site training was “critical for fire, medical, and law enforcement personnel who are now adequately prepared in the event of a real emergency at the jail.”

Officer Macias climbed off the stretcher after it was loaded into a waiting ambulance: “I was nervous. Were they going to get to me on time? They saved me!”