Corrections officers train for hostage situations in Chambersburg

CHAMBERSBURG  – More than 90 corrections and law enforcement officers from six counties simulated hostage situations on Wednesday in a vacant building downtown.

Corrections Emergency Response Team members from Armstrong, Butler, Centre, Dauphin, Franklin and Somerset counties trained together at 14 N. Main St. The former Chambersburg Trust building will be razed to make way for a judicial center next to the courthouse.

Franklin County Jail Warden Bill Bechtold told the participants: “This is a great opportunity for our county corrections agencies to get to know each other and work together before a potential event happened where we need each other.”

The teams reacted to a variety of scenarios. Experienced evaluators gave constructive feedback to CERT members. Evaluating the teams were Chambersburg Borough Police Chief Ron Camacho, Pennsylvania State Police Troop L Reading Commander Gary Carter, Franklin County Captain of Investigations Dave Smith, Franklin County Chief of Adult Probation Dan Hoover, and former Chester City Police Chief Joe Bail.

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Leaders from each county agreed that the training fostered team collaboration between the partner counties and highlighted areas to improve. Franklin County Department of Emergency Services (DES) set up a command post at the staging area.

“We constantly prepare for things we hope never happen,” DES Director John Thierwechter said. “Practicing with other county departments is very valuable.”

Public information officers from several county departments worked together to create information updates.  Dauphin County Prison Warden Brian Clark and Deputy Warden Gregory Briggs, Centre County Prison Warden Christopher Schell and Deputy Warden Glenn Irwin and Armstrong County Jail Warden Phillip Shaffer participated in a mock press conference.

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“Warden Bechtold and his staff did a great job coordinating a successful training event,” Franklin County Commissioner Chairman Dave Keller said. “We’re lucky to have such a wide range of leadership expertise locally available to us. A special thanks to our partner counties—your engagement and participation helps to increase the safety and security of each of our communities.”

The event was sponsored by Combined Public Communications, GTL, PrimeCare Medical, L.R. Kimball, Securis, AFSCME 589, and the Franklin County Jail Employee Club.