Organizations discuss potentially deadly scenario on campus
Wes Mayle
Issue date: 11/4/08 Section: News
With planes constantly coming ever so close to hitting buildings on campus like Allgood Hall , a "Table Top" exercise took place to address concerns of tragedy and calamity.
Many federal and state organizations, such as the FAA, the FBI and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), descended upon Augusta State University on Oct. 22, in the JSAC Coffeehouse, to discuss with Public Safety, senior administration on campus and local EMS and fire agencies measures that should be taken in the event of a plane crash on campus.
The exercise, facilitated by GEMA, took place because in the event of a plane crash on campus, each organization would have a certain role in handling the situation. The FAA, for example, has jurisdiction over every airport in the country, including nearby Daniel Field. The exercise brought to light the responsibilities of each organization.
"If we were to have a plane crash on campus, how (would things flow and who would have what responsibility), because there are always issues that come up," said Jasper Cooke, director of Public Safety. "We wouldn't know what hospital all of our students, faculty and staff went to, and because of hospital rules and regulations, they're not going to tell you, in most cases."
Cooke said that a plan was established that explains which hospitals to send students, faculty and staff. Cooke said the Emergency Management Coordinator of the area hospitals would be contacted to find out which hospitals would have enough room to hold the added people.
"We found out by talking to the Emergency Management Coordinator for the area hospitals (that) one of their responsibilities is to locate how many beds each hospital has when we have (catastrophic) issues," he said.
The Richmond County Fire Department's job would be to not only try to rescue people who were affected by the incident, but to also stabilize the scene. The scene will then be treated as a crime scene until all the details are discovered, according to Cooke.
Many federal and state organizations, such as the FAA, the FBI and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), descended upon Augusta State University on Oct. 22, in the JSAC Coffeehouse, to discuss with Public Safety, senior administration on campus and local EMS and fire agencies measures that should be taken in the event of a plane crash on campus.
The exercise, facilitated by GEMA, took place because in the event of a plane crash on campus, each organization would have a certain role in handling the situation. The FAA, for example, has jurisdiction over every airport in the country, including nearby Daniel Field. The exercise brought to light the responsibilities of each organization.
"If we were to have a plane crash on campus, how (would things flow and who would have what responsibility), because there are always issues that come up," said Jasper Cooke, director of Public Safety. "We wouldn't know what hospital all of our students, faculty and staff went to, and because of hospital rules and regulations, they're not going to tell you, in most cases."
Cooke said that a plan was established that explains which hospitals to send students, faculty and staff. Cooke said the Emergency Management Coordinator of the area hospitals would be contacted to find out which hospitals would have enough room to hold the added people.
"We found out by talking to the Emergency Management Coordinator for the area hospitals (that) one of their responsibilities is to locate how many beds each hospital has when we have (catastrophic) issues," he said.
The Richmond County Fire Department's job would be to not only try to rescue people who were affected by the incident, but to also stabilize the scene. The scene will then be treated as a crime scene until all the details are discovered, according to Cooke.
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