From Dispatch to Extraction: SWFD Drills on Hazardous Tank Incident on Brookfield Street

South Windsor, CT - Volunteer firefighters and technical rescue technicians from the South Windsor Fire Department were put to the test Wednesday evening during an unannounced, high-fidelity emergency scenario designed to evaluate rapid decision-making in hazardous environments.

Members of the department's Rescue Squad and supporting personnel were initially instructed to stage at Station 3 at 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, with no prior knowledge of the exercise objectives. Dispatchers from the South Windsor Police Dispatch center then simulated an urgent industrial incident, alerting crews to a worker found unresponsive face-down inside an industrial tank at the Environmental Services, Inc. (ESI) facility on Brookfield Street.

Responding units—including Rescue 5, Squad 2, Tower 1, and Car 19—mobilized promptly to the facility. Upon arrival, crews identified the event as an integrated technical challenge requiring coordinated hazmat mitigation, atmospheric monitoring, high-angle rope rigging, and confined space extrication protocols.

Operating under realistic operational constraints, personnel established mechanical advantage rope systems, secured proper ventilation and safety lines, and made entry to successfully extract the simulated victim (a rescue training mannequin) within an effective operational window while maintaining strict safety benchmarks.

Department leaders commended the responding crews for their disciplined execution, extending special thanks to Past Deputy Chief Papp and Firefighter Murtha for designing the surprise drill, South Windsor Police Dispatch for seamless communications support, and Environmental Services, Inc. for opening their industrial property and specialized equipment to enhance regional emergency readiness.