Preparing for Disaster: Students Reflect on New York Hope Exercise

By Mike Nolan

ALBANY, N.Y. (Jan. 20, 2025) — Every summer, dozens of students from the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity take part in the New York Hope Disaster Response Exercise at the State Preparedness Training Center in Oriskany, N.Y.

The NY Hope exercise, a partnership between the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services and the Consortium for Humanitarian Services and Education, prepares students for future careers in emergency management.

During the four-day training, students rotate through immersive scenarios featuring live role players designed to replicate the challenges faced by humanitarian organizations responding to disasters. Scenarios include mass-casualty incidents, water rescue operations, secondary triage and treatment, damage assessment, wilderness search and rescue, and emergency response to a cyberattack.

Several CEHC students who participated in the 2025 exercise recently shared their experiences with us.

“We participated in a lot of leadership-building activities. I was the leader for the wilderness search and rescue portion,” said Ethan Maier, a junior majoring in emergency management and homeland security. “Once we found our three victims, we gathered them, assessed them medically and contacted incident command. It feels very real. Being out there in the woods, dealing with prickers and bugs, it’s pretty much like being DEC rangers rescuing someone.”

“To be able to experience this in a controlled environment was really useful,” added Robert Becherer, a senior majoring in emergency management and homeland security. “Not only that, but we worked alongside individuals who have conducted actual humanitarian efforts in the United States and abroad. It was eye-opening and solidified that I made the right choice for my career path.”

The Hope Disaster Response Exercise originated 15 years ago in Florida and has since expanded to Missouri and New York. Each location hosts students, community members, and local and state first responders for a week-long training exercise each year.