July 29, 2022
| Albany
The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services today announced the NY Hope Disaster Response exercise, in partnership with the Consortium for Humanitarian Services and Education, returns to the State Preparedness Training Center in Oriskany this week from July 28-31. The NY Hope exercise prepares college students for potential careers in the fields of emergency management and homeland security. The four-day disaster response exercise trains in leadership; teamwork and confidence building; disaster response and medical operations; incident command system and interoperable communications, and emergency services partner agency training. During the training, students work together in teams to overcome and respond to challenges including mass casualty events, water rescue operations, secondary triage and treatment, damage assessment, wilderness search and rescue, and emergency response involving a cyber-attack.
Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said, “College students looking to become emergency responders are receiving unmatched real-world experience this week at the SPTC. We are preparing them for the types of challenges they may face in their future careers. New York State has faced many such challenges head-on in recent years: more frequent and more severe climate disasters, cyber-attacks on our critical infrastructure, and the growing prevalence of violent domestic extremists. During the NY Hope exercise, we recreate these real-world scenarios to teach invaluable lessons to students pursuing a career in our field.”
This year’s class includes nearly 50 students studying nursing, electrical engineering and emergency management from universities or colleges around the country such as the University at Albany, Elmira College, Northwest Missouri State University, the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Rasmussen University, and Saint John Fisher University. Twenty-nine of these students currently attend the University at Albany.
University at Albany College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security & Cybersecurity Dean Robert P. Griffin said, “We are proud to continue our long-standing partnership with DHSES to host a disaster response simulation introducing students to the realities of emergency management. NY Hope embodies the mission of CEHC, combining high-quality academics with experiential learning opportunities to prepare the next generation of leaders to address some of the most serious threats facing humankind.”
The students rotate through scenarios recreating the challenges and conditions faced when a humanitarian organization or an emergency response agency responds to a disaster including the basics of triage, first aid, and use of the Incident Command System (ICS). Simulations include a search and rescue in a collapsed building, a cyber security attack, a search-and-rescue in the wilderness, and flood rescue training from the State Office of Fire Prevention and Control at the SPTC’s Swift Water and Flood Training facility.
About the State Preparedness Training Center
New York State is home to one of the premier first responder training facilities in the nation – the State Preparedness Training Center (SPTC) in Oriskany. Located on 1,100 acres, the SPTC offers an extensive series of realistic training venues, a Swift Water and Flood Training (SWFT) venue, a 45,000 square foot CityScape complex, and an Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) simulator. From classroom lectures and discussions to skill development lanes to reality and high-performance scenario-based training, the SPTC offers state, local, and federal agencies a spectrum of opportunities for dynamic emergency first responder training.
About the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services provides leadership, coordination, and support to prevent, protect against, prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate disasters and other emergencies. For more information, find DHSES on Facebook, on Twitter or visit dhses.ny.gov.
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