Pembroke, N.Y. (WBEN) - "It took me a moment to realize the immense scope of this."
Tim Yaeger, Director of Emergency Management for Genesee County joined WBEN on Monday to look at the emergency response to Friday's tragic tour bus crash on the New York State Thruway in Pembroke that killed five and injured dozens.
"We're always planning for a mass casualty threat or a natural disaster. This was not a drill," said Yaeger during his appearance on "A New Morning". "This was in real time and it was a real emergency. But once we realized what was going on, all of our training kicked into play and everyone did what they were trained to do. They were hyper-focused."
Related
A coordinated response throughout Western New York is more important than ever before due to declining numbers of volunteer firefighters.
"In today's world there are far fewer firefighters, EMT's and first responders than there were 10 years ago," Yaeger said. "They're stretched to the limit."
When they received the call about the bus crash, a call went out to first responders in six counties.
The bus crash was extra challenging because it happened on the New York State Thruway with limited access for those responding.
"The New York State Thruway Authority and New York State Police did a fabulous job shutting down the roadway and giving access to the first responders," Yaeger added. "There are access points to the Thruway, particularly near service centers for local fire departments. But it can be particularly difficult because the traffic was at a standstill for miles and the first responders are driving on the side of the road for miles."
After a period of decompressing, Yaeger said there will be a debriefing this evening to get firefighters together and discuss the response and, most importantly, provide help for those struggling what they saw out there.