For immediate release
Sept 23, 2019
Re: multi-agency training exercise at South Toms River Elementary School
On Monday 23 September 2019 at 10:20 am a multi-agency training exercise was conducted at the South Toms River Elementary School in coordination with a scheduled student evacuation drill.
The agencies involved in the exercise include the Manitou Park Fire Company Station 18, the South Toms River Police Department, the South Toms River First Aid Squad 37, the South Toms River Office of Emergency Management and Civilian Emergency Response Team, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department and Office of Emergency Management, the Toms River Fire Company 2 Station 26, the Pinewald Pioneer Fire Company Station 20, and the Bayville Fire Company Station 17.
The exercise involved a mock explosion and fire in the school caused by an unknown intruder and was responded to by local law enforcement and first responders. The STR Police Department was tasked with addressing the security threat, search, tracking, and apprehension, and traffic control. The Manitou Park Fire Co. Station 18 handled access to the scene, fire suppression, and search and rescue activities with the assistance of the other fire companies while the STR First Aid Squad 37 organized triage, treatment, and transport of simulated injured persons. The STR Office of Emergency Management/CERT group served in planning and coordinating functions and with traffic control. The Ocean County Sheriff’s Department provided incident command assistance and numerous logistical support functions to the local agencies.
The exercise was observed and evaluated by New Jersey State Police Office of Emergency Management and Ocean County Office of Emergency Management experts who provided compliments on the efforts of all those involved and made suggestions on areas to strengthen the coordination of the various agencies involved. It was noted that it is believed that this is the only instance that an exercise of this scope and size has been done throughout the school district.
