BOURNE, Mass. (WHDH) — Crews at Camp Edwards in Bourne took part in a special training exercise to prepare for handling terror attacks and other disasters.
This is the third time fire departments and the National Guard have trained together. The drill lasts 72 hours and the crews at Camp Edwards began on Thursday night. The structure they work with resembles a collapsed building, complete with a pile of rubble. The scenario of their exercise is a building partially collapsed after a vehicle crashed into it.
Crews work on drilling through concrete and learning how to pull victims from piles of rubble and other confined spaces. The goal of the exercises is to improve communication and coordination between the National Guard, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and local fire departments.
Those working at Camp Edwards said tthese rescue efforts have been needed as recently as a few weeks ago when hurricanes Harvey and Irma hit.
“The most important thing at the end of the day is we’re saving lives,” said Capt. Ann Marie Leifer of the Airforce National Guard.
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