If Tragedy Strikes: Multiple Law Enforcement, Medical Agencies Stage Full-Scale Mass Casualty Training Exercise at SPAC

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Approximately 17 regional agencies and 400 people took part in a simulated training exercise focusing on a mass casualty response on April 30 at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. 

The training focused on coordination and emergency response during several simulated scenarios that envisioned an incident involving a large number of injuries at the venue during a concert. 

“We’re doing this to make sure we are as safe as we can be for the patrons of the park and for concertgoers,” Jeffrey Santor, sergeant with the NYS Park Police and division emergency manager said during the Sunday morning exercise. 

The exercise involved personnel from Park Police, New York State Police, Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, Saratoga Springs City Police and Fire Departments, local EMS Agencies as well as operations staff from Saratoga Spa State Park, Live Nation and SPAC. Saratoga Hospital, Albany Medical Center and their regional partners concurrently staged an exercise to measure how the simulated event would affect their emergency plans.

Planning for the exercise began last July. Public volunteers played the role of concert-goers.

“It was a lot of work to get us to the point to where we’re at today. “We have done some stuff with the Saratoga Springs PD here before, (but) this is the first one in a number of years with multiple agencies all working together,” Santor said.       

“It was a very successful exercise and hopefully we gained some knowledge to help keep everybody safe in future events at SPAC.”