The first day of November started with about 30 first responder units, 60 volunteer actors, and other emergency service agencies participating in a mass-casualty incident drill at the Sayville Ferry Terminal. Onlookers might have thought the worst, but the Suffolk County Police Department and media outlets helped spread the word to avoid misunderstandings.
The simulated crisis scenario involved passengers falling overboard after a ferry boat collision. Participants in the three-hour drill included Sayville Ferry Service, the Suffolk County Department of Fire Rescue and Emergency Services (FRES), the Islip Ambulance Chiefs Association, Brookhaven Town Harbormasters, the U.S. Coast Guard, Dept. of Homeland Security, as well as fire departments from Bayport, Blue Point, East Islip, Great River, Sayville, and West Islip among others to practice cross-agency coordination.
These exercises serve a purpose. Besides keeping the first responders’ skills sharp, they prepare them for real-life events that occur on the Great South Bay every year. In 2018, a similar drill was underway when Sayville Ferry Service received a letter threatening harm at the Cherry Grove Pride Parade, scheduled for that same day. All event participants were deployed to Fire Island to provide security and support. Perhaps parade revelers in Cherry Grove were a little surprised to see their unexpected guests that afternoon, but they were welcome nonetheless.
