Radio Communication Drill

By: Battalion Chief Mark Davis

Units in the lower part of the 1st Battalion got in a little radio communications drill yesterday (3/2/15) afternoon at the Forest Glen Metro Station. Fire Stations 1, 2, and 19 along with Truck 716, Battalion Chief (BC) 702, and BC701 ran three exercises at the underground Metro station simulating a failure of the normal radio communications system - thus having to resort to a "radio-relay" system using portable radios. The Forest Glen Station is located in Fire Station 19's (Montgomery Hills) response district and is one of the deepest stations in the United States.

Today's radio relay drill sent companies on a "scavenger hunt" for information in the station that had to be relayed via radio back to the command post located in the Metro Station's parking lot. While some might find this training not as exciting as stretching hose lines or cutting up cars - it is very important training because the radio relay could be the last line of communications in a major incident in the Metro system.

Many thanks to Captain Blinkhorn (Fire Station 1-A Shift) for coordinating the event. Many thanks also to WMATA for providing an emergency management representative on site to help out as well.