FDNY Members Participate in Annual BIOPOD Exercise at FDNY HQ

October 28, 2016

On Friday, October 28, FDNY Members participated in the annual BIOPOD Exercise at FDNY Headquarters in Brooklyn.

“The BIOPOD exercise is an annual event and part of our bio-terrorism preparedness planning. It’s an exercise that brings together many parts of our Department so that we can practice how we would respond if there is a real biological threat,” said Dr. Kerry Kelly, FDNY Chief Medical Officer at FDNY’s annual BIOPOD Exercise. “At the same time, we’re giving out the flu shot to our members and personnel.”

The drill is part of the City’s overall emergency response plan and combines the efforts of FDNY Bureau of Health Services, FDNY Bureau of Fire Operations, EMS Operations, EMS Dispatch, Fire Dispatch and the Center for Terrorism and Disaster Preparedness.

The BIOPOD would be utilized in the event of a chemical, biological, radiological nuclear or explosive incident. In addition to the preparedness training that the drill provides, FDNY personnel are also given the option to receive the flu shot to protect themselves, their families, and the public against the influenza virus.

To learn more about the flu vaccine, and how you can protect yourself and others, go to on.nyc.gov/flu.