The New York State (NYS) Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) is pleased to announce the Swift Water and Flooding Training Center (SWFT) Facility has been nominated to compete in the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program.
NYS DHSES, a new competitor in the Annual ‘ASTORS’ Program, the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program highlighting the most cutting-edge and forward-thinking security solutions coming onto the market today, are delighted to be nominated in a number of categories, which deliver enhanced training and development opportunities to benefit first responders and the communities in which they serve.
To better train first responders to handle the dangers posed by rescuing victims of flooding and swift water, the number one natural disaster that emergency crews respond to in New York State, the NYS DHSES created the Swift Water and Flood Training (SWFT) facility.
(See shots from the newly completed SWFT (Swift Water Flood Training) center dedicated solely to training New York State’s first responders. Located at the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services’ State Preparedness Training Center in Oneida County, this state-of-the-art facility is the only training center of its kind solely dedicated to training the State’s fire, law enforcement, and EMS responders on the technical skills necessary to perform water rescues in controlled conditions. Courtesy of NYS DHSES and YouTube. Posted on Jul 16, 2018.)
Opened in 2018, SWFT is the first facility of its kind dedicated to training first responders.
SWFT is located at the State Preparedness Training Center in Oriskany, NY and the venue gives first responders the opportunity to practice both swift water and flood rescues in a real-life environment.
The training center features a 3-acre pond, a concrete swift water channel and an urban flood simulator that allows rescue crews to train in flooded street and buildings.
The SWFT flood simulator has three pumps that can pump out more than 30,000 gallons of water to create a variety of realistic flooding hazards, including rapids, a flooded city street, and drowning or stranded victims.
Responders can safely train numerous scenarios that would be challenging and dangerous to recreate using actual swift water elements.
(See More of the Swiftwater Rescue Training NYS Preparedness Training Center/ Department of Homeland Security. Courtesy of Cary Epstein and YouTube. Posted on Feb 12, 2019.)
Upcoming Training Announcement: Swift Water/Flood Rescue Technician
September 5-8, 2019 – State Preparedness Training Center
Course Description
This 32-hour technician course focuses on specialized rescue techniques in a variety of swiftwater situations and is recommended for anyone who may be called upon to affect a water rescue.
This course is physically demanding, students should be in good physical condition, have no medical restrictions, and must be proficient swimmers.
It is best to start preparing for the course by swimming a couple times a week for a month.
Students must be able to successfully pass practical skills throughout the training and pass a final written exam.
Students must successfully complete the swimming evaluation on the first day of class to continue in the training.
Students who are unable to successfully complete the swimming evaluation are prohibited from participating any further, and therefore will be unable to complete the training.
You will be swimming in cold moving water, dress appropriately for the weather.
(Three pumps power the water at the Oriskany site, and each one pumps 33,000 gallons of water per minute. Courtesy of WKTVNEWSChannel2 and YouTube. Posted on May 7, 2019.)
The swift-water environment is inherently dangerous, risk to participants in this training cannot be totally controlled.
Instructors will do everything they can to provide safe training.
However, your personal safety is first and foremost your responsibility, you must pay attention and follow instructions carefully.
Topics include fundamentals of survival in moving water, rescue swimming techniques, urban flood rescue, search and recovery operations, rope rescue applications for swiftwater, and river search techniques.
This course teaches basic rafting guide paddle strokes, recognition and avoidance of river hazards, paddle commands, ferrying, eddy hopping and raft recovery upon capsizing.
This course meets two National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards (1006/1670) for Swift Water Rescue for Operations and Technician (levels 1 and 2), as well as the NIMS typing for Swift/Flood Rescue Technician.
The swim test is a minimum of 250 yards using the four basic strokes: Back, crawl, breast, side stroke, and treading water for 5 minutes.
For more information, contact the SPTC— Phone: 315-768-5689 • Email: SPTC.INFO@dhses.ny.gov • Web: www.dhses.ny.gov/sptc
The State Preparedness Training Center (SPTC)
The New York State Preparedness Training Center (SPTC) is the multidiscipline complex operated by the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES).
It is located in Central New York at the former Oneida County Airport, a short 2 ½ miles from exit 32 of the NYS Thruway and within minutes of Griffiss International Airport.
The facility occupies approximately 1,100 fenced acres of the former Airport.
(See actual State Preparedness Training Center training at the NYS Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services’ State Preparedness Training Center in Oneida County. Courtesy of NYS DHSES and YouTube. Posted on Jul 16, 2018.)
The $9 million New York State Preparedness Training Center (SPTC) facility is available for use by the 1,800 fire departments and 580 police departments in New York state.
The SPTC affords state, local, and federal agencies a complex of training venues that can be used for the entire spectrum of training.
From classroom lectures and discussions to skill development lanes to reality and high performance scenario-based training, the SPTC offers opportunities for dynamic emergency first responder training.
(The New York SPTC, through a partnership with the National Center for Security & Preparedness at the University at Albany, also trains first responders on how to collaborate, respond to, and end an active shooter or aggressive deadly behavior incident. Using scenario-based training, instructors teach law enforcement how to respond to and quickly end a situation involving an active shooter. By integrating EMS professionals into the training, these first responders learn scene management skills, how to work closely with law enforcement in complex attacks, and the latest tactical emergency casualty care techniques. Utilizing world-class training resources, including the ‘CityScape’ simulations complex, students get the opportunity to train in real-world situations and realistic environments such as retail stores, businesses, city-style apartments, a shopping mall and a high school, that require teamwork, quick judgment and decision-making skills to successfully respond to and recover from such an attack. The State Preparedness Training Center offers a variety of active shooter or aggressive deadly behavior based training courses annually.
The New York State (NYS) Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES)
NYS DHSES provides information to be a valuable and useful resource, whether you are an emergency manager, first responder, or a member of the public.
Created in 2010, DHSES and its four offices – Counter Terrorism, Emergency Management, Fire Prevention and Control, and Interoperable and Emergency Communications – provides leadership, coordination and support for efforts to prevent, protect against, prepare for, respond to, and recover from terrorism and other man-made and natural disasters, threats, fires and other emergencies.
The women and men of DHSES are dedicated to working closely on a daily basis with all levels of government, the private sector, and volunteer organizations to improve the readiness, response and recovery capabilities of communities throughout the Empire State.
DHSES has taken great strides in enhancing the State’s readiness and response capabilities. From terrorist threats to natural weather disasters, the demands for public health and safety continue to increase as they simultaneously become more complex.
As we face these challenges, it is critical that we remain focused on strengthening our partnerships through increased communication and coordination.
The DHSES website provides daily awareness of emergency-related events and activities from throughout the State including State Fire alerts and bulletins, weather and travel, and State and national threat levels.
It also provides easy access to reporting terrorism tips as part of the State’s “See Something, Say Something” campaign and to the State’s all-hazards alert and notification system, NY-Alert (https://alert.ny.gov).
(NYers are reminded to stay alert to their surroundings, & report any suspicious activity. Terrorism Tip Line 1-866-SAFE-NYS (1-866-723-3697). New Yorkers can also download the See Something, Send Something mobile app to report suspicious behavior at http://ow.ly/JXsz301bh8O. Courtesy of NYS DHSES and YouTube. Posted on Jun 13, 2016.)
Additionally, for the first response community, thee DHSES website offers information on federal grants, emergency planning guidance, course offerings and schedules of training and exercise programs.
There also is an extensive publications section providing public safety information from each of the offices as well as informational videos and social media links.
Please browse the website and learn more about the DHSES mission. Feel free to send us your comments.
With continued knowledge and awareness, DHSES ensures that our communities remain safe, secure and prepared.
NYS DHSES Competes in 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program
As a 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program Competitor, the New York State (NYS) Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) Swift Water and Flooding Training Center (SWFT), will be competing against the industry’s leading providers of Innovative Emergency Response Programs for Federal/State or Local Governments.
Good luck to NYS DHSES SWFT on becoming a Winner of the 2019 American Security Today’s Homeland Security Awards Program!
For More information on the New York State Preparedness Training Center, please visit the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services website at dhses.ny.gov/sptc.
(Learn More. Oriskany Facility Opens Gates to First Responders. Courtesy of EYEWITNESS NEWS UTICA and YouTube. Posted on Jul 19, 2018.)
The Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program is specifically designed to honor distinguished government and vendor solutions that deliver enhanced value, benefit and intelligence to end users in a variety of government, homeland security and public safety vertical markets.
The 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program drew an overwhelming response from industry leaders with a record high number of corporate and government nominations received, as well as record breaking ‘ASTORS’ Presentation Luncheon Attendees, with top firms trying to register for the exclusive high – end luncheon and networking opportunity – right up to the event kickoff on Wednesday afternoon, at the ISC East registration!
Over 130 distinguished guests representing National, State and Local Governments, and Industry Leading Corporate Firms, gathered from across North America, Europe and the Middle East to be honored among their peers in their respective fields which included:
- The Department of Homeland Security
- The Federal Protective Service (FPS)
- Argonne National Laboratory
- The Department of Homeland Security
- The Department of Justice
- The Security Exchange Commission Office of Personnel Management
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- Viasat, Hanwha Techwin, Lenel, Konica Minolta Business Solutions, Verint, Canon U.S.A., BriefCam, Pivot3, Milestone Systems, Allied Universal, Ameristar Perimeter Security and More!
The Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program highlighting the most cutting-edge and forward-thinking security solutions coming onto the market today, to ensure our readers have the information they need to stay ahead of the competition, and keep our Nation safe – one facility, street, and city at a time.
The 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program is Proudly Sponsored by ATI Systems, Attivo Networks, Automatic Systems, and Desktop Alert.
Nominations are now being accepted for the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland SecurityAwards at https://americansecuritytoday.com/ast-awards/.
Comprehensive List of Categories Include:
| Access Control/ Identification | Personal/Protective Equipment | Law Enforcement Counter Terrorism |
| Perimeter Barrier/ Deterrent System | Interagency Interdiction Operation | Cloud Computing/Storage Solution |
| Facial/IRIS Recognition | Body Worn Video Product | Cyber Security |
| Video Surveillance/VMS | Mobile Technology | Anti-Malware |
| Audio Analytics | Disaster Preparedness | ID Management |
| Thermal/Infrared Camera | Mass Notification System | Fire & Safety |
| Metal/Weapon Detection | Rescue Operations | Critical Infrastructure |
| License Plate Recognition | Detection Products | And Many Others! |
Don’t see a Direct Hit for your Product, Agency or Organization?
Submit your category recommendation for consideration to Michael Madsen, AST Publisher at: mmadsen@americansecuritytoday.com.
2018 Champions Edition
See the 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Champions Edition – ‘Best Products of 2018 ‘ Year in Review’ for in-depth coverage of the outstanding products and services of firms receiving American Security Today’s 2018‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards.’
Enter Early to Maximize Media Coverage of your Products and Services at Kickoff, and Get the Recognition Your Organization Deserves!
And be sure to Register Early for the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon at ISC East 2019 to ensure your place at this limited- space event!
