Toms River Fire Department Technical Rescue Taskforce - Hurricane "Sandy" Ocean County Regional URBAN Strike Team (RUST)

Toms River Fire Department
     Technical Rescue Taskforce
Ocean County Regional URBAN Strike Team (RUST)

                  After Action Report

               Hurricane “Sandy”
     Operational Date: October 31, 2012 to November 2, 2012

            Prepared By John Novak Taskforce Leader

Synopsis
   On Monday October 29, 2012 Hurricane Sandy made landfall on the New Jersey Coast. This
storm would cause unprecedented damage to the Barrier Island section of Toms River Township
along with the waterfront sections of the Township. This storm would also test the Toms River
Technical Rescue Team’s operation and integration as the Regional Urban Search and Rescue
Strike Team (RUST) as a component of NJ-TF1. The Toms River Technical Rescue Team (TR-
TRT) along with the Brick Township Technical Rescue team and the Berkeley Township
Technical Rescue Team make up the Ocean County Regional Urban Search and Rescue Strike
Team (OC-RUST).

   On Tuesday October , as the taskforce leader, I received a phone call from Captain Henry of
the Toms River Police Department. Captain Henry requested that the Ocean County RUST team
deploy to the base of the Mathis Bridge at 7 AM the following morning. At 06:30 AM on
Wednesday October the Toms River TRT and the Berkeley TRT arrived at the base of the
Mathis Bridge and formed into the OC-RUST. This team consolidation would continue through
Friday November . Due to extreme damage in Brick Township the Brick TRT was not deployed
with the RUST. The roster of members deployed during the three day operational period can be
found in (Appendix A).

                                          Operations
Day 1: October
   At approximately 07:30 while standing by at Route 37 & Douglas, the RUST received a
phone call from the Ocean County EOC to meet the State Police at the A&P. The RUST team
moved up to Route 37 across from the A&P in Ortley Beach. Due to a miscommunication the
RUST team arrived before any elements of NJ-TF1. The RUST team stood by until Toms River
Unit 1 was set up in the A&P parking lot to serve as the Toms River Command Post. During this
time the Berkeley Township TRT was redirected to respond to South Seaside Park to clear calls
in their town. While waiting for the NJ-TF1 to set up the base of operation (BOO) I was
instructed by Captain Henry to go to Unit 1 and get a list of open 911 calls. The RUST team’s
first mission would be to clear all 911 calls from Ortley Beach up to Brick Township. The calls
were broken down into two areas; Ortley Beach sector and Normandy sector. A list of these 911

calls is listed in (Appendix B). This first mission would be conducted by the Toms River TRT
only. I split the team into two search squads with Taskforce Leader Rich Heroy leading the
Ortley division and I would lead the Normandy Division.
   The rules of engagement for this first mission required that a Toms River Police Officer
accompany each squad. The Ortley Squad moved out with Rich Heroy in unit 2904, while my
squad started to move north. I was in the lead with Officer Bucci in a Police Durango followed
by Rescue 2624. Almost immediately we received a “Hot Call” for a women trapped in a house
with a medical issue in Brick Township at 112 Ave. The Normandy Division found an elderly
lady at the Ave address. The woman was carried in a stair chair approximately one-hundred
yards to a waiting ambulance by the TR-TRT members. Both the Ortley Division and the
Normandy Division continued to respond to the listed addresses that were open 911 calls. All
calls were cleared by approximately 14:00 hours and both squads returned to the A&P Plaza for
rehab.
   The A&P Plaza was setup as a base of operation (BOO) for NJ-TF1. At approximately 14:30
hours I was requested to report to the NJ-TF1 command tent at the BOO. At this time the TR-
TRT members were divided up and imbedded into NJ-TF1 search squads. From approximately
14:45 hours until approximately 17:30 hours the squads conducted a grid search of specific
areas. The organizational structure of NJ-TF1 consisted of a “White” Operations Division and a
“Red” Operations Division. Both divisions consisted of five (5) squads for a total of ten (10)
squads.

Day 2: November
   At 07:00 hours members of the TR-TRT and Berkeley TRT met at station 26 and drove to
the NJ-TF1 BOO at the A&P Plaza. I met with the planning officer for NJ-TF1 and provided
them a copy of the Ocean County RUST roster for the day. NJ-TF1 planning section imbedded
RUST members into NJ-TF1 search squads. The day consisted of NJ-TF1 squads continuing a
grid search of every house from Ortley to the Brick Township line. The rules of engagement for
search operations negated any forced entry of intact structures. Structures that were intact were
to be checked by knocking, listening and looking in windows. Searched structures were marked
with pre-printed stickers, magic marker or by tying yellow caution tape around the door handle.
Day 2 ended with the search area complete up to Ocean Beach 1. The Ocean County RUST was
released for the day at approximately 17:30 hours.

Day 3: November
     At 07:00 hours members of the TR-TRT and Berkeley TRT met at station 26 and drove to
the NJ-TF1 (BOO) at the A&P Plaza. I met with the planning officer for NJ-TF1 and provided
them a copy of the Ocean County RUST roster for the day. NJ-TF1 planning section imbedded
RUST members into NJ-TF1 search squads. The mission for day 3 consisted of completing the
house to house search from Ocean Beach to the Brick line. NJ-TF1 was assisted by a FEMA
Taskforce, Ohio Taskforce 1. Ohio Taskforce 1 started at the Brick line and worked south. NJ-
TF1 started at Ocean Beach and worked north. This search was completed at approximately
10:00hours.
   From 10:30 hours to approximately 16:00 hours the NJ-TF1 search squads were tasked with
the search of compromised structures at specific address. These searches required forcible entry
and the use of search K-9s. At approximately 16:00 hours NJ-TF1 completed all search
operations and started to demobilize. The Ocean County RUST component was debriefed by
Trooper Doug Lemanowicz. Trooper Lemanowicz praised the actions and the work ethic of the
RUST members and our ability to assimilate into the NJ-TF1 organizational structure.

Appendix A

                      TR-TRT/ RUST October 31, 2012
     Name/ Sta. No.         Unit/ Assignment          Area of Operation
John Novak 26            TRPD Durango/ TFL      Normandy Sector
Steve Hayes 25           2624/ Squad Leader     Normandy Sector
Doug Voigt 26            2624/ Operator         Normandy Sector
Gary Simone 25           2624                   Normandy Sector
Andrew Hoehn 26          2624                   Normandy Sector
Sam Potter 30            2624                   Normandy Sector
Michael Lemore 26        2624                   Normandy Sector
Rich Heroy 30            2904/ Squad Leader     Ortley Sector
Pete Sabey 29            2904                   Ortley Sector
John Addalia 29          2904                   Ortley Sector
Matt Yezzi 30            2904                   Ortley Sector
Mike Mooney 29           2904                   Ortley Sector
Ken Hamilton 26          2617/ Support Unit     Ortley Sector

Ocean County RUST November 1, 2012
     Name/ Sta. No.          Unit/ Assignment       Area of Operation
John Novak 26             NJ-TF1 White Ops       Squad 4
Steve Hayes 25            NJ-TF1 White Ops       Squad 1
Doug Voigt 26             NJ-TF1 White Ops       Squad 4
Gary Simone 25            NJ-TF1 White Ops       Squad 1
Michael Cocco 29          NJ-TF1 Red Ops         Squad 1
Ben Mrak 26               NJ-TF1 Red Ops         Squad 2
Michael Lemore 26         NJ-TF1 White Ops
Rich Heroy 30             NJ-TF1 Red Ops         Squad 1
Matt Yezzi 30             NJ-TF1 Red Ops         Squad 1
Ken Hamilton 26           NJ-TF1 Red Ops         Support
Bill Dasti 20             NJ-TF1 Red Ops         Squad 2
Bill Lieter 20            NJ-TF1 Red Ops         Squad 5
Brian Corson 20           NJ-TF1 White Ops       Squad 4
Craig Jensen 20           NJ-TF1 White Ops       Squad 2
John Willis 20            NJ-TF1 Red Ops         Hazmat Tech Squad 2
John Rouse 20             NJ-TF1 White Ops       Hazmat Tech

Ocean County RUST November 2, 2012
     Name/ Sta. No.             Unit/ Assignment       Area of Operation
John Novak 26                2617
Steve Hayes 25               2624
Doug Voigt 26                2624
Ben Mrak 26                  2624
Robert Sroczynski 26         2624
Jim Golden 28                2624
Rich Heroy 30                2624
Matt Yezzi 30                2617
Bill Dasti 20                2027
Koff 20                      2027
Wutsch 20                    2027
Pomeroy20                    2027
Czapinski 20                 2027

911 Calls Responded to Normandy Sector 10/31/12
                   Address                             Disposition
104 Bay Way
332 W. Bay Way                          1 w/animal
115 W. Plover                           Vac
235 Gull La.
23 Catalina                             Vac
208 Bay Shore
102 Philadelphia
133 Island View                         Sheltering in Place
220 Hayes Ct.                           Vac
234 Hayes Ct.                           1M, 1F, Sheltering in Place
3071 Route 35 South                     Condos, no unit given
226 Silver Beach                        Vac
46 Ave                                  1F, Transported Out
108 Jacobsen                            1M, 1F, Will Walk Out
205 Hayes Ct.                           Shelter in Place
112   Ave. Brick                        Removed 1 elderly FM to EMS
113 Peterson La.                        1M, Will drive out to meet Family
118   Ave                               2 to be transported out
112 Jacobsen                            1M, 1F, will drive out pov
125 Normandy Way                        2, Transported out
30 South Surf Way                       1M, 1F, will drive out pov
200 W. Bay View                         Vac