EME trains Airmen, community for the worst

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Rachelle Coleman
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  More than 100 Airmen and civilians from local community medical, fire and health departments conducted an emergency management exercise which focused on cooperation during a crisis incedent here the last week of August. 

Every year, an exercise is conducted to test the wings ability to respond and coordinate with off-base agencies in real world emergency situations that would exceed the base's ability to manage alone. The exercise, unlike most operational readiness exercises, specifically tests personnel who would be first responders to major emergencies and their capabilities on scene.

This year, participants included personnel from Bassett Army Hospital, the North Star Borough Fire Department, Alaska Public Health, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks Police Department. 

These local teams helped the base gain control of a simulated crisis situation by providing medical and emergency support to compliment the base response teams. 

Mostly made up of tabletop exercises, training took place Aug. 24 through 28, with a simulated incident on Aug. 26. throughout the week, emergency management teams from Eielson, Fort Wainwright, and the Fairbanks North Star Borough coordinated shared resources and personnel and went over various crises and how best to work together to handle them. 

The tabletops were composed of different scenarios for the teams to discuss the necessary actions needed to be taken to resolve the incident. Some scenarios included chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear incidents, and potential flu outbreak. 

"The best part of the exercise is that it got us out into the field," said Maj. Chris Cutler, 354th Medical Group Bioenvironmental Flight chief. "It's especially important for newer Airmen to experience the urgency that the exercise provides. It allows them that hands-on aspect they don't always get in a classroom or through their computer based training." 

The flights main role during the EME was to provide health and protection recommendations to the on-scene commander . They also determined harmful agents in the area and how long it would be there, allowing the on-scene commander to effectively determine the hazardous situation and more accurately plan an appropriate response. 

Actors simulated personnel who had become victims and casualties to various incidents that occurred throughout the afternoon Wednesday. 

After the exercise, Eielson's emergency response teams evaluated their performance and lesson learned. 

"I think it went well," said Airman 1st Class Tony Baker, 354th MDG bioenvironmental engineer. "Hopefully we'll never have to do it in real life, but it's good to have the training."