Be alert, don't live in fear: First responders train for possible crisis here in Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE -- First responders in Milwaukee say, on one hand, the attack in Nice, France will add a new layer of their training. On the other, they say training has evolved to make sure their response can cover a wide range of possible incidents.

FOX6 News spoke with a training instructor earlier on Friday, July 15th. His message for anyone at Milwaukee's Bastille Days, or anyone planning to be there, it's basic and familiar: Be alert for anything suspicious but at the same time don't live in fear.

"What happened in Nice, last night was just horrible and I have to be honest with you, it's really hard to predict and protect someone who uses a vehicle as a weapon," said Russell Rivard, hazmat training instructor.

Russell Rivard instructs training on hazmat and WMD incidents. He says going forward, first responders will have to prepare for attacks where vehicles themselves are used as a weapon.

"Do we walk specifically about a vehicle that can be used? Yes we do - more with IEDs in it - now that this happened in France, I guarantee you next time we get together for a conference, it's going to be a topic," said Rivard.

Milwaukee Deputy Fire Chief Aaron Lipski says his heart aches for the grieving families and his fellow first responders overseas.

"They are looking at the absolute worst side of humanity and those folks have to live with what they saw now," said Lipski.

Lipski says if such an attack were to happen in Milwaukee, it would be a somewhat familiar response for his department, but on a much larger scale.

"We respond to car accidents every day, we respond to pedestrians struck every day. So in this very case, not at all to minimize things, but this was a very long, protracted car versus pedestrian accident that involved multiple patients," said Lipski.

Rivard says the most recent attack should concern us all, but it should not make us all paranoid.

"I'm not telling you to think about security because in today's day and age, it's a must but don't stop living your life and enjoying yourself because then the bad guys win," said Rivard.

There is a training conference next weekend in Milwaukee, geared toward response to a terrorist attack. That training even was scheduled long before the latest attack in France.