by Patti Connor
Staff Writer
Interestingly enough, plans regarding what to do in the event of an aircraft collision in downtown Jacksonville had already been formulated well before Sept. 11. Since that fateful morning, however, the City’s emergency teams have been working quietly behind the scenes, plotting additional contingencies and refining the existing ones.
The task, needless to say, is sobering.
“All the scenarios we could possibly consider are truly horrific and involve mass casualties and death just like the World Trade Center,” said Ricky Embry, a captain with the City’s Fire and Rescue Department.
Emergency tactics addressing the most obvious of those scenarios — how the city would respond in the eventuality of a nuclear, biological, or chemical attack — have been in place for some time. In fact, Jacksonville has been doing exercises in terrorism preparedness since 1977, when it was selected as one of 27 cities to receive funding.
As far as police presence, with the exception of increased patrols during special events such as the recent Independence Day celebration, there appears to have been remarkably little change. In the downtown of post Sept. 11, everything, at least on the surface, appears to be business as usual.
Outside the Landing, which bustles with its customary activity, mechanical birds trill their endless mechanical warning, an admonition for any pigeons in the area to maintain their distance.
What, perhaps, is not known is that the Landing management, like many other downtown businesses, has gone about the job of quietly mapping its own strategy of what to do in the event of a disaster requiring evacuation or other emergency measures.
The events of Sept. 11 brought home other truths as well, according to Embry.
“One thing we’ve learned, is that police and fire are going to have to become more coordinated in their efforts and learn to work together more closely than they have in the past,” he said.
The anthrax scare and the hoaxes that followed, also served to drive home the need for coordination.
“We responded to, literally, dozens of hoaxes,” said Embry, adding that most of them turned out to be either false alarms or the product of a nervous community.
Before Sept. 11, a number of office buildings already were staging evacuation drills several times a year. Fire codes “encourage” managers of buildings occupied by more than 500 people and those with more than 100 employees either above or below street level to have fire drills.
“Buildings like BellSouth and Modis [Independent Square] already have their assembly areas designated. Employees in Independent Square, for example, would be instructed to go to the Riverwalk — whereas across the river, Prudential’s designated assembly area would be under the Main Street overpass,” said Embry.
Along with convening a sufficient distance away from buildings that are in danger, Embry said employees should be mindful of the need to congregate as far away as possible from doorways.
“We want them far enough away from the entrance that along with not blocking a firemens’ entry, they won’t be guillotined if glass has to be broken,” he said.
Equally important, if a fire alarm sounds, employees, rather than hesitating, should react promptly.
Said Embry: “Don’t waste time trying to determine if there is a real emergency. “ Most fire alarms are synchronized so as to afford 180 seconds to leave.”
Robert “Chip” Patterson, chief of the Emergency Preparedness Division and security coordinator for the City, agrees that fire drills should be taken seriously. “Go ahead and begin evacuating. It’s really critical to take fire drills seriously. If it’s a false alarm, an announcement eventually will come over the PA system — and then you can go back in the building,” said Patterson.
If someone actually sees fire or smoke, they should go ahead and pull the fire alarm. If, on the other hand, they just smells smoke, hold off and call management instead, as it could be a false alarm, advises Patterson.
Buddy systems, the two agree, are also a good idea.
“It’s good to have a team in place. Also, designate a floor captain and a group of monitors to check computer rooms, rest rooms, etc., and give an all clear. That way,” said Patterson, “they can report to the captain that the floors are clear.”
Equally important, overweight people and pregnant women should be encouraged to become involved in a “light” exercise program so they can at least descend to the assembly area, Embry added.