CHIEF BILL XIKIS
Selden FD & BTRTF Manager

EAST PATCHOUGE, LI, NY-At approximately 2330 hours on July 18, 2006, The Brookhaven Technical Rescue Task Force was activated for a level 3 response to a building collapse. Initial reports had people trapped. The incident location was 1 Laura Ave in East Patchogue which is covered by the Hagerman Fire Department. Responding Task Force units were, Hagerman Fire, Ronkonkoma Fire, Setauket Fire with a collapse trailer, Mt. Sinai Fire with a collapse trailer and Selden Fire with a collapse trailer.

Once on scene Hagerman Command, Chief of Department Randy Miller reported there was no entrapment, but had units continue in due to an unstable structure. Task force Units were split into two groups after another report of a building collapse at 30 Roosevelt Ave. Selden and Mt. Sinai took that assignment.

At 1 Laura Ave Setauket, Hagerman, and Ronkonkoma erected shoring to stabilize the structure. Setauket set up a cutting station and provided the lumber to construct the shores. At 30 Roosevelt Ave, Selden’s Third Assistant Chief Tony Ryan and Mount Sinai’s 1st Assistant Chief Fred Hess assessed the scene and recommended no further action. Task Force Leader Joe DiBernardo and Miller Place Team Manager Matt Bruemmer also responded to 30 Roosevelt Ave and concurred with the course of action.

Task Force Leader Joe DiBernardo then responded to 1 Laura Ave to command Technical Rescue Operations. Shoring was completed and Units took up at 0130 hours.

The Brookhaven Technical Rescue Task Force is made up of 10 fire rescue agencies that provide response to high angle, confined space, trench collapse, building collapse, surface ice, and water rescues. For more information contact Joe DiBernardo Task Force Leader at 631-872-4704 or visit the web site at www.longislandrescue.com/btrtf.