Desert Wind 14-06

A dummy representing a downed pilot lies on the ground in the Mojave Desert, 14 miles east of California City Aug. 27. Smoke and plane parts were also present to represent the crash site of an F-16 for exercise Desert Wind 14-06, an emergency response and readiness exercise designed to practice how Edwards AFB responds to a crash off base. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kenji Thuloweit)

Desert Wind 14-06

Edwards AFB exercise planners teamed with the California City Police and Cal City Fire Departments to coordinate first response actions for Desert Wind 14-06. The scenario for the emergency response exercise was a mid-air collision between an Edwards F-16 and F-15, resulting in the crash of the F-16. In real life, if a crash occurred off Edwards land, local authorities would be the first to respond. The Cal City departments were also being graded by their respective evaluators. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kenji Thuloweit)

Desert Wind 14-06

Edwards AFB fire fighters in special heat resistant foil suits scan plane parts using a PID (Photoionization detector). The PID is a gas detector and the fire fighters are looking for the presence of hydrazine, a toxic compound that can be found in jet fuel, which could be present following an F-16 crash. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kenji Thuloweit)

Desert Wind 14-06

Glenn Savell (right), Edwards AFB Fire Department division chief, is briefed by his California City Fire Department counterpart during exercise Desert Wind 14-06 Aug. 27. In a real world plane crash off Edwards, local authorities would be the first to respond. The exercise tested the communication and procedures with working with the Cal City Fire and the California City Police Department. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kenji Thuloweit)

Exercise in Cal City

Edwards AFB's Base Support Emergency Response Vehicle, or BSERV (left), sits on the perimeter of the simulated crash site 14 miles east of California City. The vehicle is the 412th Civil Engineering Division's Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit's primary emergency response vehicle. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ethan Wagner)

Exercise Desert Wind 14-06 examines Edwards AFB response to off base crash

Published Aug. 29, 2014
By Kenji Thuloweit
412th Test Wing Public Affairs

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A desolate area in the Mojave Desert popular with campers and off roaders was the site of an F-16 crash Aug. 27. Two crewmembers from Edwards Air Force Base lost their lives.

This was the scenario for Exercise Desert Wind 14-06. The training event tested out the 412th Test Wing's emergency response capabilities along with aircraft and personnel recovery procedures.

The exercise was done in conjunction with the California City Police and Fire Departments, which were also being graded on their response procedures by their respective officials. The area of the simulated crash site was about 14 miles east of Cal City, so in a real-life scenario, local authorities would be the first to respond.

In this simulation, the Edwards tower was notified at 8 a.m. by Ridley Mission Control that an F-16 was flying chase with an F-15 when they collided in midair sending the F-16 crashing to Earth.

Crisis Action Team and Emergency Operations Center members were immediately recalled to their stations while reports from off base were coming in.

"At about 8:20 this morning we [Edwards AFB] were notified by Cal City ECC (Emergency Communication Center) of reports of a loud crash and smoke coming from east of California City," said Glenn Savell, Edwards Fire Department division chief and exercise incident commander. "In this scenario, the Cal City police and fire department arrived at the scene and determined it was a military jet that crashed and called Edwards ECC."

The Edwards AFB Fire Department headed to the crash site.

Savell added that fighter jet crashes pose an exceptional risk when responding because of special hazards such as weapons and chemicals that can be present at the crash site.

"Certain jets made out of composites can release toxic materials when burning. In the case of an F-16 crash, we have to check for the presence of hydrazine, a very toxic and flammable chemical. As an Air Force fire department we have the necessary training and equipment to handle accidents like this."

After Edwards firefighters simulated their emergency response procedures like extinguishing any remaining flames and testing for hydrazine, they established an entry control point to the site. Members of the 412th TW's Emergency Management Office then arrived on scene to establish a command center.

Another unique aspect to a jet fighter crash is the egress procedures involved with removing a pilot, in this case a dummie, from an ejection seat, and also conducting proper search and recovery operations for a second crewmember who may or may not be intact.

Members of the newly-formed Wing Inspection Team observed the onsite procedures outside Cal City while back on Edwards the Crisis Action Team and Emergency Operations Center communicate with the first responders and make decisions on the way forward.

The 412th TW performs several emergency response and readiness exercises throughout the year to ensure that if an accident or disaster does happen, emergency responders and base officials are ready to tackle the situation with proper actions and procedures.