Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger has announced that Ulster County’s Department of Emergency Services has coordinated a multi-agency emergency exercise to be held at the campus of Woodland Pond at New Paltz on October 4. For more than a year, the Ulster County Department of Emergency Services has been the lead agency in planning for this wide-scale emergency exercise in partnership with Woodland Pond at New Paltz, a continuing care retirement community for residents age 62 and up.
The exercise will involve members of the Ulster County Department of Emergency Services, Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, New Paltz Police Department, New Paltz Fire Department, New Paltz Rescue Squad, NYS Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services-Office of Emergency Management and the American Red Cross responding to an undisclosed emergency scenario. Neighbors of the campus will see a large emergency responder presence on October 4 and during the duration of the exercise. Entry and exit to and from the campus will be prohibited.
“The primary objective of government is to keep our residents safe — no matter what happens,” said Metzger. “Here in Ulster County, we have witnessed our share of emergency situations, and we are committed to ensuring that all of our first responders and government resources are fully prepared and ready for any conceivable emergency situation. This multi-agency emergency preparedness training is a testament to the incredible work of our Emergency Services Department, led by Everett Erichsen, and the strategic partnerships we maintain with local first responders and the general public. We are extremely grateful to Woodland Pond for their partnership in organizing this critical exercise and look forward to continuing to work with their capable team for future exercises.”
“In the world of emergency management, the success of a multi-agency exercise isn’t measured solely in terms of response efficiency; it’s a testament to our collective commitment to preparedness, collaboration, and the resilience of our communities,” said Erichsen. “When we train together we stand together, ready to face any challenge that comes our way. I am very thankful to Woodland Pond at New Paltz for partnering with us to put together this multi-agency exercise, as well as deputy director Michael Madison for coordinating with them.”
Kamryn Ilgner, Woodland Pond’s strategic initiatives specialist explains, “This multi-agency exercise will provide an opportunity for a variety of our county’s first responders and emergency planners a one-of-a-kind opportunity to practice coordinated tactical field response to an emergency situation in a way that has never been done in Ulster County before. Woodland Pond and our staff and residents are thrilled to be a part of history in this way.”
Ilgner said that only a very small group of planners know the exact scenario that has been planned for October 4, which is on purpose. “We are performing this exercise for training and education purposes, so it’s important that folks on the ground, including even our CEO Michelle Gramoglia, are not privy to the details of what is planned for the exercise. The county emergency planners and emergency responders understand it’s critical that this feels as real as possible.”
In order to prepare for this exercise, Woodland Pond has communicated with the residents, staff and family members on what to do in various emergency scenarios, including active shooter situations, a concept that is new to the senior population of residents at Woodland Pond.
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