PHOTO: In a time of crisis, the quick actions of first responders is crucial, but the combined teamwork of multiple agencies can make the difference that results in a positive outcome.
When the BNSF train derailed on Wednesday, Jan. 1, plunging the first engine into the Kootenai River, first responders came from all around the county, answering the call for help. In a complex mission, these people, including many volunteer first responders, quickly assumed their roles, utilizing all the hard work they had put into training for a situation like this.
It all began in dispatch.
“I want to stress that between dispatch getting multiple calls, and multiple people responding, they were receiving tons of calls, and they were having to send out tons of information at the same time,” said Boundary County Sheriff’s Detective and Marine Deputy, Caleb Watts.