As part of its weekly training class the members of Alert Fire Co. drilled on their setup for a mass decontamination event.  The aerial ladder is quickly deployable as an emergency shower tunnel.  As shown in the photos the ladder becomes a frame for tarps and a nozzle that people could be channeled through with efficiency and privacy.  The Bergenfield Fire Dept. participates in the mutual aid system for mass decontamination with other adjacent communities.  Each agency supplies one piece of apparatus to the location of the chemical or biological emergency and when assembled these apparatus create the entire mass decontamination assembly line.  They key to the program is rapidly deployable resources and as shown in the photos the concept appears complex but is a rather simplified yet completely effective effort.  Using low pressure fog nozzles the tunnel can handle an endless stream of people and washing agents or detergents can be injected through our conventional foam applicators.

This evolution is another example of the diverse capabilities of the Bergenfield Fire Department that are kept sharply honed by our regular training exercises.  We proudly stand ready to serve our community.

A special thanks to our members who ‘volunteered’ to be washed down for the web photos.