For Immediate Release

Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Many Agencies Come Together after School Bus Crash, Mass Casualty Incident in Berkley

Thirty Patients Transported in 30 Minutes, All Expected to Survive

BERKLEY — Fire Rescue Chief Scott Fournier wishes to acknowledge the communities and first responders who answered the call last night when a school bus filled with people crashed on Rt. 24.

Berkley Fire Rescue responded to a location after exit 11 but before exit 10 receiving multiple 911 calls about a serious crash.

Chief Fournier was the first firefighter on scene, and he immediately knew that Berkley would need significant mutual aid assistance. The Chief established a command post and issued two orders that resulted in the mobilization of resources from around southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. He declared a Mass Casualty Incident and requested an Ambulance Task Force, under the Commonwealth’s emergency management protocols.

Bristol County Control, which dispatches mutual aid in the county, was notified in seconds. Ambulances from Alert Ambulance (1), Brewster Ambulance (2), Dighton (1), Raynham (2), Fall River (2), Somerset (1), Swansea (1), Rehoboth (1), Freetown (1), Seekonk (2), Norton (1), Mansfield (1), Westport (1), North Attleboro (1), Tiverton, R.I. (1), Bridgewater (2), Lakeville (2), Middleborough (1), West Bridgewater (1), Canton (1), Avon (1), and Randolph (1) were summoned to the scene. Taunton Police and Fire, Berkley Police and the Massachusetts State Police also responded.

In addition to the fire trucks and ambulances, nearly a dozen municipal fire chiefs from around the area responded to assist Chief Fournier with command, operations, triage and communications.

The effort resulted in the transportation of 30 patients to five hospitals in two states in 30 minutes.

Patients were brought to Rhode Island Hospital, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, St. Anne’s Hospital, Morton Hospital and Charlton Memorial Hospital. The bus passengers ranged in age from infants to elderly adults.

“I would just like to thank all the mutual aid departments as well as municipal and state police. Last evening was a total team effort. It is the kind of situation we train for and sit in workshops and prepare for, but you really come to appreciate the value of all that planning when see it unfold before you,” Chief Fournier said. “I am also profoundly proud of our emergency responders from the Town of Berkley, including police, dispatch, EMS and fire personnel, who were the first to get the call and arrived on scene during the critical first moments of this emergency.”

The Massachusetts State Police has assumed primary jurisdiction over the incident.

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