First responders describe mutual aid request during Amtrak crash in Chariton County

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

With a large number of rescue and medical personnel responding Monday to the Amtrak train crash, coordinating the response comes down to one person making the call to get others involved.

There were 11 counties that responded to a mutual aid call after the train derailment.

According to NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy, 10 hospitals took injured passengers from the crash.

"We first got word that something was going on in either Linn or Chariton County about an hour advance notice before the first patient arrival," said Dr. Jeffrey Coughenour with MU Health Care.

As first responders first arrived on the scene in Chariton County, the incident commander began the coordination of first responders.

"Once the different disciplines start to arrive, they form a unified command and then decisions are made," said Gale Blomenkamp with Boone County Fire Protection District.

Blomenkamp says that the needs of a call and what assistance is requested will vary from scene to scene.

"What is the immediate life safety issues that need to be taken care of, how do I start to manage that and how do I start to bring in my resources to get more help here," said Blomenkamp.

Those resources came as far away as Jefferson City.

"Yesterday it was whatever you have available, and based on our staffing it was two ambulances, and an officer," said Chief Eric Hoy with Cole County EMS.

Hoy was among those deployed to Chariton County on Monday afternoon.

"We have a mutual aid plan through the State Emergency Management Agency each region in the state has identified resources that will be available in large-scale incidents," said Hoy.

When it comes to bringing all these agencies together Blomkamp tells me that for first responders nationwide the command structure is nearly identical.

"It's on a national level, so people across the country are managing events if not the same way very close to the same way, so we can step into an agency, a region, or a state and know how the command structure is," said Hoy.

For Cole County being able to return the favor was a gift.

"We are an agency who has requested mutual aid before, so we are happy to give back to other agencies in their time of need,” said Hoy.

Blomenkamp tells me that given that command structure and resources needed Missouri Task Force One was not required on Monday.

According to University Hospital here in Columbia, the staff treated 19 patients from the train derailment. Ten of those have been released, with nine still admitted, and one dead.

Boone Hospital has treated and released 28 patients on Monday.