Joint Training Simulation Trains Mansfield First Responders, Future Towns

Mansfield Director of the Light Department Gary Babin said on Wednesday that Mansfield Electric Department underwent a joint training exercise recently with the Mansfield Fire and Police Departments.

“It was a real worthwhile exercise,” he said. “It reinforced in everybody the nature of emergency procedures and how much interaction is required between the different departments.”

He said the exercise was essential for operations so that police and rescue personnel would not have to have to necessarily wait for their own equipment to get on scene during an MED-related emergency.

The exercise, Babin said, was designed to simulate the injury of a lineman high up working on a utility pole.

“I stopped by to attend some of that event, and I thought it was a great idea,” selectman Jess Aptowitz said.

Aptowitz went on to say that knowing the MED’s equipment could be a life-saving lesson for Mansfield’s first responders.

“For instance, if, God forbid if one of our linemen had an issue with a bucket truck; got electrocuted or something; the firemen are great with their own equipment but… just to train them for that stuff makes that worthwhile. All that time you could save if you could get the door open instead of pulling them out could save that man’s life.”

The simulation was going to involve a medflight helicopter to help train police and rescue on emergency extraction procedure as well,  but weather prevented that. Babin said that Mansfield Cable Access taped the training and will edit it for later boadcast. He added that other towns with municipal electric departments.