Exercise tests base's response capabilities

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class William O'Brien
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Team Edwards held an Emergency Management Exercise March 9 and 10 to test the 95th Medical Group's ability to respond to a widespread outbreak on base.

The premise of the EME was that 20 Team Edwards members attended a basketball game and contracts a virus. In the days that followed, it begins to spread around the base.

"The exercise focused on the implementation of the current Disease Containment Plan," said Master Sgt. Tyron Taylor, 95th Aerospace Medical Squadron Public Health Flight chief and Exercise Evaluation Team member. "This not only involves the 95th Medical Group, but the whole base in the event of an actual base, county, state or countrywide disease outbreak."

On the first day, groups of people showed up at the 95th MDG main clinic and 95th AMDS building complaining of severe flu symptoms. The people were diagnosed and quarantined.

"The first day included the arrival of approximately 20 patients, which was the initial identification of the outbreak," said Tech. Sgt. Jenny Bangay, 95th Air Base Wing Plans and Programs installation exercise program noncommissioned officer in charge. "Units across base were responsible for accountability of their personnel. They had to ensure work continued as additional personnel became ill and were quarantined."

On the second day of the exercise, additional people showed up at the main clinic complaining of similar symptoms, simulating the concept of disease outbreak.

"The second day included a mass casualty situation at the main clinic," said Sergeant Bangay. "Approximately 30 additional patients were seen, with a simulated 250 patients. Additionally, assets across base were used to quarantine the large group of personnel."

Because the exercise simulated a large number of base personnel being infected by an unknown virus, it was crucial for the medical response team to prevent sick people from coming into contact with unifected people.

"Those assigned to the Composite Medical Treatment Team were responsible to triage incoming members to the 95th MDG and ensure they were placed into isolation," said Randy Wells, 95th MDG exercise evaluation team chief. "The Facility Security Team was assigned to make sure no 'exposed' patients left the isolation area and that no one who wasn't 'exposed' got into that area."

Exercises such as this one are intended to keep the 95th MDG prepared in case the base ever encounters a disease outbreak. It measures its ability to respond without assistance from outside sources.

"This exercise displays how proper implementation of the current disease containment plan and to know how the installation will react in the event of an actual outbreak," Mr. Wells said.

He said the 95th MDG has never encountered an exercise like this one, and he was happy with its performance.

"Overall, they did an excellent job," Mr. Wells said. "This was the first time Edwards has exercised the Disease Containment Plan functionally, I feel the response was well executed and the leadership was outstanding."