Exercises test Edwards disaster response force capability

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Julius Delos Reyes
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Loud cries emanated from a school auditorium on Nov. 13. Yells for help echoed inside the dark room. The building had collapsed and trapped more than 15 students and teachers after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake "shook" Southern California including Edwards. 

The simulated scenario was part of a three-pronged exercise, which included the Great Southern California ShakeOut, the Golden Guardian Exercise and the Northern Command's Vigilant Shield. 

"These three exercises tested Edwards' ability to respond to a major earthquake with California while conducting our own emergency management exercise scenarios and practicing real-world accountability reporting with higher headquarters," said David Bookrum, installation exercise program manager. 

The Great Southern California ShakeOut was the largest earthquake preparedness activity in U.S. history. It ran concurrent with Golden Guardian 2008, the nation's largest state-sponsored emergency response exercise, involving more than 5,000 first responders from state, local and federal agencies. Vigilant Shield 09 focused on homeland defense and civil support. It included scenarios to achieve exercise objectives within the maritime, aerospace, ballistic missile defense, cyber, consequence management, strategic communications and counter-terrorism domains. 

"They were set up at the same time," Mr. Bookrum said. "We aligned these three exercises so that we have all levels of participation with the county, the state, Air Force Materiel Command and NORTHCOM. It was a good opportunity for us to combine and get everyone to play." 

Edwards' objectives for the three exercises were to evaluate all elements of disaster response force, to evaluate the five phases of emergency response, to perform accountability for base personnel, to assess basewide damage, to establish external and internal communication and to set up 24-hour operations. 

Scenarios for the exercises included white powder response, downed communication systems, facility evacuations across the base, accountability, recovery and local community support. They also included civilian fuel spill and fire support. 

In responding to an incident, the base's emergency control center will determine the appropriate resources, including primary responders, to send to the incident and dispatch those resources. Upon reaching the scene, the incident commander's duty is to conduct an in-depth analysis and request additional resources as necessary. 

The first responders include the 95th Security Forces Squadron, Edwards firefighters and the 95th Medical Group emergency medical system personnel. 

During the exercise, the fire department was responsible for surveying facilities on base and report their findings to the emergency communications center, said Michael Hurles, Edwards fire department deputy chief. During this process, they used the matrix of life, property and environment to establish their priorities for action. 

"Our firefighters are thoroughly trained in the aspect of urban search and rescue," Mr. Hurles said. "During this exercise, firefighters committed the majority of their efforts to rescuing individuals trapped by debris, providing initial emergency care to them and then turning the victims over to the medical personnel for advanced care." 

As a first responder, the 95th SFS is responsible for providing immediate response to emergencies involving injuries, fatalities and missing personnel. 

"Security forces is critical to the installation during a disaster," said Tech. Sgt. Brad Reeves, 95th SFS resource protection noncommissioned officer in charge. "Without security forces, public access to hazardous areas, such as fires and hazardous chemicals, would not be quickly identified and secured. These area's pose a life threatening risk to the public." 

Security forces also ensures security for the base's protection level resources and conduct road surveys to determine what roads are safe for travel, Sergeant Reeves said. Security forces continues to provide security at installation gates and maintain law and order on the installation, including prevention of looting and pilfering, during natural disasters. 

"As the medical emergency team, we gather the patients at a single area, triage them and provide them with basic medical care so that they can be stabilized for transport back to a larger medical facility" said Capt. (Dr.) Dillard Dehart, 95th Medical Group field triage team chief.  

During a major emergency, the field triage team works hand-in-hand with fire department to stage at the scene and begin to sort patients into different groups based on the severity of their injuries, Captain Dehart said. Minimal patients can be treated quickly and easily. Delayed patients take more time and care, but can wait a little while before receiving more complete treatment. Immediate patients have life-threatening injuries and are the ones needed to be stabilized and transported. The fourth category is expectant for patients whose severe injuries are unlikely to survive given the care available. 

Mr. Bookrum said the base performed very well during the three exercises. 

"I am confident the base is more prepared," he said. "I think people were able to get information on how they can help themselves and their families."