# FEMA Deployment - Danvers, MA explosion



## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

This morning my FEMA team was deployed to Danvers, MA due to an explosion that occurred at an ink production plant. We spent the entire day searching houses and conducting structural assessments of damaged buildings. Glad to be home this evening!

Here is a link to the NECN news network, which has several video clips regarding the explosion. I don't know how long they'll have the videos on their site, so I'll try to accumulate some photos to post as well. Considering the damage, it was amazing that nobody was killed.

http://www.boston.com/news/necn/

I only noticed one small video clip of my teammate and his dog walking into a house. Hopefully I can gather up some photos of the dogs doing their thing. 

If anybody knows how to copy the news videos, I'd love to save them to my computer.

I'll probably post more about this later - after I get some rest and after the Holiday.


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## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

Here's a link to photos taken by our team for the above-mentioned deployment. Some striking photos of the damage. There aren't too many canine pics. I'm the handler with the black labrador.

http://www.matf.org/gallery/Danvers?page=1

You can see why it takes a very specially trained group (from many disciplines) of people to respond to these events.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

My sister is in Danvers today (just for the day). She's speechless at the destruction.

She says they did not even have telephone service yesterday in the city.

Thanks, Konnie, for the posts.


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

Thanks Konnie for posting the links - the photos really show the force of that blast.


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

Thanks for sharing your FEMA experiences with us.


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## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

The US Chemical Safety Board released a computer simulation showing the cause of the explosion in Danvers that my dog and I were deployed to in Nov. of '06. Very interesting video showing the extent of the damage. My dog and I searched the houses on the block directly adjacent to the chemical plant. You can see video of the debris we worked through.

http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/pa...n=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=5.7.1

This video shows how dangerous the jobs of a FEMA canine search specialist and their dog are. I sent my dog into the first four houses adjacent to the blast area without being able to enter the building with him. It was deemed too dangerous for me to enter. Thus, my dog had to search completely independently of me and without any instruction (aside from his initial command to search). He had to ignore all distractions (and there were many - most of the refridgerators had exploded all over the kitchen) and work completely out of sight of me - even on the second floor of these homes - while I remained on the front lawn. This also demonstrates the type of dog required to do this job. Its not a weekend warrior endeavor!

Again, amazing that nobody was seriously injured or killed in this blast. The residents of Danvers were very lucky!


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## David Frost (Mar 29, 2006)

Konnie, I'm would think that you've also met those handlers that expressed an interest in SAR. When confronted with the possibility that they may have to send thier dog into a dangerous situation, the opted out of SAR. It's tough work, that is heavily goal oriented. The goal being to save lives. I'm glad as well, no one was injured.

DFrost


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

A big "Thank you" for your efforts in SAR. 
Having been in the printing industry for almost 40 yrs I can imagine the devistation created by that blast. I've seen how easy a fire or explosion can occur. Nasty chemicals!


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Quite the multi agency event.

The pictures probabably don't do it justice either. I really can't beleive no one was killed.

Nice when all your hard work and training can be so useful. Keep up the good work.

Were any dogs or handlers injured on the task?


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## Konnie Hein (Jun 14, 2006)

Jennifer Coulter said:


> Quite the multi agency event.
> 
> The pictures probabably don't do it justice either. I really can't beleive no one was killed.
> 
> ...


5 of our MATF-1 handler-canine teams were deployed. None of the dogs or handlers were injured - not even a cut pad.

It is nice to be useful, but I'd be much happier if we never had to use our skills. I think you can relate to that!


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