Summit Volunteer First Aid Squad President, Mark Koernig, checks Squad preparedness during a recent terrorist response drill conducted in New Jersey. The drill, referred to as TopOff 3, was established by the Department of Homeland Security to test response capabilities to a mock terrorist incident on a national and regional level. It was the largest disaster response excercise in U.S. history. The Summit First Aid Squad participated in the drill, along with law enforcement agencies, emergency management teams, and hospitals throughout the state. During the exercise, the First Aid Squad evacuated volunteer "patients" from area hospitals to an Air Force medical transport plane located at Newark Liberty Airport. "The drill was very effective in testing how efficiently first responders can mobilize in a large scale emergency," said Koernig. "We discovered ways to improve our responsiveness as a squad, and we were very pleased to participate."

The Squad is always looking for new volunteers and provides all needed training and equipment. For information, please call 908-277-9479, or visit them on the Internet at www.summitems.org.