We have a plane in the water!

US Airways flight 1549 averted disaster in January of 2009.

Amidst all the news coverage of this event was little about the nuts and bolts of the emergency response and understandably so.
I was glad to get this dialogue emailed to me earlier today and it opened my eyes to the difficulties of an evolving, and moving, major incident. This is long, but is a great learning tool for anyone taking ICS 400 or above.

I tried to confirm this information and came across some great pics and account of the rescues at the Bravest including the above pic.
A number of audio versions of this information are on youtube.


Location: Hudson River @ W50 st

15:34 hours
Phone Box 868 - Report of a plane in the water
Engs. 54, 34, 65
TL21, L4
Battalions 9
Rescue 1
Squad 18
Tactical Support 1
Marine 1 Alpha

15:35 hours
Also receiving reports of plane in the water @ Hudson River @ W83 st.
Multiple calls received in the Bronx reporting a plane with engine fire.
Queens in contact with LGA tower reporting a plane with a bird into the
engine.
E76, TL22 assigned to W83 st

15:36 hours
Rescue 1 to Manhattan, urgent! Plane in the water with people out, we're
launching our boat!
E23 available assigned in

15:37 hours
Rescue Battalion: Start a second rescue.
Rescue 4 S/C

15:37 hours
Battalion 9: Have all units respond to the Intrepid, that's where Rescue 1
is.

10-60-868 - 15:38 hours
Battalion 9 to Manhattan, Urgent! According to PD we have a major airl
iner in the water, possibly a 707, give me a 10-60!

FYI-

10-60 Major emergency (Bldg collapse, train wreck, Etc.) 8 Engines,
5 Ladders (one being the FAST Unit), 6 Battalion Chiefs (3rd due
chief is Safety Officer; 6th due chief is Resource Unit Leader), 2
Deputy Chiefs, 2 Rescue Companies, 2 Collapse Units, 2 SOC Support
Trucks, SOC logistics van, Squad 1 with is Technical Response
Vehicle, 1 additional Squad, Rescue Battalion, Haz-Mat Battalion,
Safety Battalion, Field Communications Unit, Satellite Unit with its
associated Engine, RAC Unit, and a Mobile Command Center). Also, a
Battalion responds and meets NYPD Aviation to provide Air Recon.




Engs. 8, 21, 40, 16
E9 w/ Satellite 1
E93 w/ Mobile Command Center 2
L2, L16
TL35 is the FAST truck
L25 w/ Collapse Rescue 1
Collapse Rescue 4
TL7 (SOC Support Truck)
TL1 (SOC Support Truck)
Battalions 10. 11
Battalion 6 (Safety Officer)
Battalion 8 (Resource Unit Leader)
Battalion 4 (Planning Sections Chief)
Battalion 58 (Air-Recon Chief)
HazMat, Safety, Marine Battalions
Squad 1 w/ TRV
HazMat 1
SOC Logistics
SOC Compressor
Divisions 1, 3
Marines 1, 6
FieldCom
Command Tactical Unit
RAC1

15:38 hours
TL21 to Manhattan, Urgent! The location of the plane is 43 and West Side!

15:39 hours
Marine 1 to Manhattan, this is confirmed! You have a commercial airliner
in the water, 2 ferries alongside, Marine 1A is pulling up alongside,
Marine 1 is responding as well.

15:40 hours
BC9 to Manhattan, Urgent! We have a commercial airliner down, ha ve all
units respond to Circle Line Piers, we have people on the wings, we have a
Circle Line Boat pushing it to the pier.

15:42 hours
BC9: We're going to use the Command Post at the end of Pier 83

15:43 hours
Division 1: Have All-Units respond into 42 st, Pier 81.

15:44 hours
Marine 1: Tide is moving downtown.

15:46 hours
DC1: At this time, we have an FD command post set up at Pier 81 opposite
41 and 12th. We have a US Airway Jet, approximately 60 passenger Jet, we
have Circle Line ferries circling the plane, it is drifting south at this
time, right now south of 41st and 12th.

15:46 hours
DC1 to Manhattan, Urgent! I want all the Marine Units responding on this
incident! At this time we have numerous people on the wings on the plane,
we have numerous Circle Line ferries surrounding the plane, FD units are
jumping on additional ferries.
Marine 9 w/ Rescue 5, E153, TL77, Battalion 21 S/C

15:47 hours
DC1: Have Division 3 s et up a secondary command post at the tip of Pier
76 (W36 st)

15:48 hours
Car 4A (AC Robert Sweeney, Assistant Chief of Operations) is responding.

15:49 hours
DC1: We want FD units to respond to Pier 76, all command units respond to
Pier 81

15:50 hours
Battalion 6 is 10-84, already designated the Resource Unit Leader,
Battalion 8 re-designated the Safety Officer.

15:51 hours
DC1: We want a Major EMS response to both Piers. First boat loaded with
passengers is heading to Pier 81. We have reports of 146 passengers on the
plane.

15:52 hours
Coast Gaurd reports 4 ferries and 1 cutter en-route

15:53 hours
Car 4A: Notify Division 1 as per FDOC there are 146 Passengers and 5 crew,
total of 151.

15:54 hours
E14: Notify Division 1 we're at the 33st Heliport, they're directly
opposite us now, it's a perfect place to land boats.
E14 assigned

15:56 hours
Car 9 (DAC John Sudnik, Queens Borough Commander) is respo nding to DC3
command post
Car 11(DAC William Siegel, Chief of SOC) is responding

15:59 hours
L10 acting 24, as per Division 3, we'll be operating at W33 at the
Heliport
Battalion 1 acting 9 S/C to the 30th street Heliport
E1 S/C to 30th street Heliport

16:00 hours
Rescue 3 is relocating to Rescue 1

16:03 hours
L25 w/ Collapse Rescue 1 is responding to 41 and 12th
L116 w/ Collapse Rescue 4 is responding to Pier 76

16:03 hours
DC1: Have all Chief officers switch over to command channel 2.

16:03 hours
FDOC reports plane took off with 21800 Gallons of Fuel

16:04 hours
Marine 9 has a 30 minute ETA responding with Rescue 5

16:05 hours
Car 9: Have TL35 respond to with their water gear 41st and 12th, also
special call another FAST truck to 36th and 12th.
Marine 6A is responding
TL22 acting 12 S/C as an additional FAST Truck

16:06 hours
Car 11A (DC William Seelig, Chief of Rescue Operations): W e're responding
to your 10-60, advise the Chief of Rescue Services the Scuba Support Van
is responding from Fort Totten.

16:09 hours
E9: We're at 40 and 12th, pier 79, we have approximately 30 people here no
one seriously injured, if we can get some blankets over, everyone's
soaking wet.

16:10 hours
Car 12 (BC Stephen Raynis (Acting), Chief of Safety and Inspectional
Services) is responding

16:11 hours
The staging area is W42 st and 11 ave

16:13 hours
Marine Battalion: Marine 1 and Marine 6 have lashed the plane to ensure
the remaining fuel and engine do not break away, notify Coast Guard.

16:13 hours
Car 12A (Executive Officer of Safety and Inspectional Services) is 10-84

16:15 hours
Car 11A: Have the SOC Scuba Van respond to 42 and 12th

16:15 hours
SOC Scuba Support Van: Be advised we have 5 confirmed divers on board at
this moment.

16:18 hours
BC1 acting 9: We're at the Chelsea Pier. We're with Divis ion 1, we're at
the end of the Chelsea Pier at the Command Post at Pier 61

16:20 hours
FieldCom: As per DC1, the pilot stated he got all the people off the plane
onto the wings, and the pilot was dropped off at Pier 76. At this time we
are attempting to ascertain the number of people and injuries. As per the
pilot there is noone left on the plane.
BC1/9: There is noone operating at the heliport, the plane has drifted
south of that area.

16:21 hours
FC: Have the Planning Unit respond to W41 st and 12th
IMT Planning Vehicle is responding
L116 (Rescue Collapse 4 support) is responding.

16:23 hours
Battalion 58 is airborne with a 5 minute ETA

16L23 hours
DC1: Be advised Division 1's command post is now at Pier 61 (23 st @ West
Side Highway)

16:24 hours
Division 6 is relocating to Division 3

16:27 hours
Manhattan requesting a rundown of which company is at which location

16:26 hours
DC3: At this time at Pier 76, I have TL22, he'll be appointed contact at
this time.

16:27 hours
DC1: I need an EMS supervisor to assist me at Pier 61

16:28 hours
Rundown for Pier 76: W36th st and 12th ave
TL22
Collapse Rescue 4

16:28 hours
Marine 9 gives a 20 minute ETA.

16:35 hours
DC1: We are still waiting for an EMS Supervisor at Pier 61.

16:40 hours
E9 is at the Waterway Building (W48 st) with approximately 54 passengers,
2 were taken to the hospital.

16:43 hours
Marine 9 is 10-84.

16:45 hours
Nassau PD and Jersey City PD reports each has a helicopter at the 30th st
heliport.

16:49 hours
PD is requesting a representative at W34 and 12th ave

16:49 hours
FC: Assign another battalion chief, we're moving our command post, it's
heading south.
Battalion 46 acting 7 S/C as "PD Liaison"
Battalion 14 acting 8 S/C as Staging Manager

16:57 hours
E1 is 10-8

16:59 hours
BC1/9: We're being directe d with TL1 to respond to Pier A.

17:10 hours
As per news report from US Airways:
Latest reports are that US Airways Flight 1549, an Airbus A320, flew into
a bird or flock of birds and lost both engines shortly after takeoff from
LaGuardia Aiport over the Bronx while en-route to Charlotte, NC. The pilot
was unable to return to the airfield and instead managed to successfully
crash-land in the river. All passengers are reportedly accounted for.
Majority of injuries are hypothermia-related.

17:14 hours
DC3: Get in contact with Mobile Command, have them respond to Battery Park
Pier, we have the plane tied off now. Can we also get 2 engine companies
down here, we need them to stretch 2 foam lines, we're at north of Murray
St, right at the pier.
Engs. 205 acting 10, 7 S/C

17:17 hours
DC1: At Pier 81, we have Battalion 8 and 2 engines committed there. We
have no units left at Pier 76, have Collapse Rescue 4 take up from there
and head down to Battery Pa rk City.

17:19 hours
L25/Collapse Rescue 1 are 10-8.
Battalion 58 is returning to Brooklyn.

17:24 hours
Battalion 8: We have 14 passengers remaining at this location (Pier 81)
that require transportation back to LaGuardia. We had 20 passengers, 6
transported by EMS.

17:26 hours
Car 9: Have E205 go to Battery Park City and just go to the water, they'll
see us there.

17:28 hours
Car 9: The aircraft has been secured, it's being secured to the sea wall
opposite Battery Park City, 2 precautionary handlines are being stretched.
Division 3 will be radio contact, Car 11 will be Incident Commander

10-86-868 - 17:33 hours
DC3: Transmit a 10-86 (Fleuroprotein Foam Operation), we're going to need
some more foam units down here.
E5 w/ Foam 5
E95 w/ Foam 95
E238 w/ Foam Tender 1
Battalion 31 (Foam Coordinator)

17:33 hours
DC1: I want all agencies to respond to River Terrace off of Warren St on
the water.

17:44 hour s
The NTSB advises that no FD members are to enter the plane.

17:49 hours
FC: Have an EMS Supervisor respond to Murray and River View Terrace.

17:52 hours
E9: Advise all units coming in on the 10-86 to come in on Warren as close
as they can to the water.

17:52 hours
At this time, as per news conference with the mayor, victim tracking is
still in progress. It is believed that all passengers got out and were
picked up by a variety of Circle Line, FD, PD, USCG, and civilian vessels.
It is believe that most were recovered to Manhattan, with some to New
Jersey.

18:04 hours
Battalion 10: Could you 10-10 (get location of) L16, I have one of their
members.

18:08 hours
E238: Have an ambulance respond to Murray and West St, we have an injured
member!

Currently Operating @ Battery Park City:
Engs. 7, 205 acting 10
E9 w/ Satellite 1
E5 w/ Foam 5
E95 w/ Foam 95
E238 w/ Foam Tender 1
Battalions 9, 10
Battalion 31 (F oam Coordinator)
Divisions 1, 3
Rescues 1, 4
Squad 1
Marines 1, 6, 9
Tactical Support 1
FieldCom
Mobile Command Center 2

Currently Operating elsewhere:
E34
TL7
Battalion 8

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