The Apex Fire Department responded to a structure fire, gas leak with ensuing vehicle and building fires, and a train derailment downtown with more fire and a hazardous materials leak all in one afternoon! No, it wasn't the apocalypse, it was Chief Haraway's Unified Command and Control / Incident Command System class. After years of using Wake County's incident command system, we are joining the masses in implementing the more standard National Interagency Incident Management System (NIIMS).
Chief Haraway constructed a great tabletop model, appropriately dubbed "Little Apex", complete with structures, streets, rail line, and emergency apparatus. Together with a new software program that gave participants a realistic and dynamic photographic view of their incident (which got better or worse depending on how the incident commander and crews performed!), everyone got a good taste of what it's like to manage emergencies under this system.
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Copyright 2004 NCFirewolf