Guard, FBI call former hospital in Preston 'great' site for training

[insanebeaver]

Preston - The former Norwich Hospital property can be a great place to simulate a war zone, a dangerous fire or even a terrorist bombing.

These aren't ideas from a movie producer about how to use the abandoned former hospital for the mentally ill for a new action movie.

Instead, they are actual training scenarios envisioned by local, state and federal entities that have asked the town for permission to use the property in the coming months.

"The site is very good in providing that sense of realism when it comes to the training piece," said Col. John Whitford, spokesman for the Connecticut Army National Guard. "We've used it before, and it's a great facility for us for training."

The 118th Multi-Functional Medical Battalion, which - recently returned from deployment in Afghanistan, hopes to use the former hospital property during the unit's summer training period from July 20-26. If approved as expected by the town, the Newington-based unit would set up a Forward Operating Base, complete with a hospital, transportation system for wounded soldiers from battle zones and support facilities.

Whitford said the unit would use some of the buildings and would operate as a self-contained city during the training.

The Guard has used Norwich Hospital in the past for training, and Whitford said officials have received positive feedback from participants. The unfamiliarity of the hospital property adds to the training atmosphere as compared to regular Guard sites often used for training.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and state police also want to return to the former Norwich Hospital grounds for the FBI Indoor Post Blast Training School from May 23-27.

The FBI conducted the training last May at the hospital property, creating a "terrorist bombing post-blast scene," wrote Special Agent in Charge Kimberly K. Mertz in a letter to the town requesting permission to use the site.

Students in the training were from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as local fire departments.

The Preston Redevelopment Agency approved the FBI's request this month. According to Mertz, this will be the 14th training class conducted at the former hospital property dating back to 2003. The state owned the vacant campus until last year, when Preston took over ownership.

Mertz wrote that the Connecticut FBI training program has been called "the most realistic training offered of its type."

Frank Ennis, hospital site manager for the Preston Redevelopment Agency, said the agency likes to cooperate in these requests. He said use of the property adds to awareness that it is in the hands of the town, and that the town soon will be looking for developers for what now is called Preston Riverwalk.

Ennis said the town does not charge the various emergency response agencies or the National Guard to use the property.

The PRA last week started environmental cleanup of asbestos and lead paint, using the first of three federal $200,000 abatement grants.

Preston's two local fire departments are doing their own cleaning in the former Kettle Building at the southern edge of the campus. Preston Fire Chief Thomas Casey said the Preston City and Poquetanuck volunteer fire departments are cleaning debris and clutter out of the Kettle building.

The departments hope to set up a permanent training facility there, at least until the town finds a developer for the property.

The building will be used for search and rescue, smoke training, ladder and hose training and rapid intervention team training to rescue firefighters in danger inside a building. Once the two Preston departments set up the facility, they will invite firefighters from surrounding towns to regional training sessions there, Casey said.

"It's a great opportunity to do some really good realistic type, hands-on training," Casey said.

[CarbonCavi]

Bomb squad was there Wednesday in the ball field. I haz DVD from earlier last year of the same training

[CarbonCavi]

One of the guys from human resources at my work used to be part of the team and gave me a copy explained one of the rooms I had seen in the Russell building where I was like wow looks like a bomb went off here.... it did! Lol

[donnabhain]

They don't charge anything? Way to screw the tax payers. I'd grab every nickel from those g men. No doubt they could easily shakedown the feds for a couple bucks and use it to actually fix up the property instead of "redevelop" it into a shopping mall or condos like they've done everywhere else.

[Megster]

yeah no kidding.  What it's going to cost to do anything at all now that they bombed buildings (lol seriously...)....they're as much at fault for the place ending up in the state it's in as much as any of the scrappers.  oh well.

[CarbonCavi]

Ill see if I can pick apart the DVD and upload it

[Whitebeard]

I was on the Preston rescue squad for a long time and have been part of the on site medical squad while the bomb school was training at NSH. They aren't wasting taxpayer money.  They do a pretty good job of avoiding destruction of anything that can be salvaged.  The whole place is going to go.  Preston can't afford to restore any of it. 

Still it's a shame that it has to go.  I still own my place across 12 from it (straight through the woods). It was great having such a haunted site nearby.  Going to miss it.

[Megster]

Lucky you...within walking distance!!!

[CarbonCavi]

You ever walk in?