Greenwich Emergency Service Leaders Participate in NIMS

Key leaders from Greenwich Emergency Medical Service (EMS), Greenwich Police, and Fire Departments recently conducted tabletop exercises using The National Incident Management System (NIMS) all-hazard approach.

The exercise consisted of several training scenarios realistically designed, but likely to over-extend any of our local agencies individual resources and expertise. These scenarios include elements from a natural disasters, chemical spills, and significant criminal incidents.

The National Incident Management System (NIMS) is a systematic, proactive approach to guide governmental agencies and the private sector to work together seamlessly and manage incidents involving all threats and hazards in order to reduce loss of life, property and harm to the environment. The NIMS concept provides a flexible but standardized set of incident management practices.

While engaging the whole community is critical to successful integration of the NIMS system, the Town of Greenwich Emergency Service Department Heads understand that success is ultimately dependent upon a well-trained Public Safety Departments.

“It been a unique opportunity to allow all of our supervisory staff to network is a non-pressurized atmosphere,” said Art Romano, GEMS Assistant Director. “Although each agency has a very particular role in public safety, it is this type of training that reinforces the team concept.”

“Our respective agencies have always performed exceptional well together during real world events and Hurricane Sandy is the perfect example of that successful cooperative effort,” said Robert Kick, Assistant Fire Chief.  “We had the opportunity to familiarize other agencies with how we manage incidents with a Unified Command System as well as fostering stronger relationships amongst the command staff.”

“The Town of Greenwich has three outstanding public safety organizations,” said Chief Heavey in a statement. “This is the type of training makes all of our agencies more efficient and keeps our community safe and resilient.”

This exercise was the first in series of joint exercises with the goal of creating a secure and resilient town able to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to and recover from a variety of threats and hazards.

The Greenwich Police Department has one hundred fifty five sworn officers, serving a community of 61,000, within approximately 67.2 square miles.