4th CST proves value to emergency managers in South Ga.

Photo By Maj. Will Cox | Onlookers gather as the sample collection team is being decontaminated after collecting the sample as part of Georgia’s Army National Guard’s Weapons of Mass Destruction 4th Civil Support Team’s (4th CST) capability brief in Albany. The 4th CST is comprised of 22 full time Guardsmen specialized in supporting, advising and assisting incident commanders during a Weapons of Mass Destruction event. Georgia Army National Guard Photo by Maj. Will Cox | Released  

MARIETTA, GA, UNITED STATES

07.11.2013

Story by Maj. Will Cox 

Georgia National Guard

MARIETTA, Ga. - Georgia Army National Guard’s Weapons of Mass Destruction 4th Civil Support Team traveled from Marietta to the Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany to demonstrate their capabilities to the emergency managers and first responders of Dougherty county in July. The 4th CST is comprised of 22 full-time guardsmen specialized in supporting, advising and assisting incident commanders during a Weapons of Mass Destruction event.

“In today’s capabilities demonstration the scenario includes a suspicious package letter with an unknown powdery substance resulting in a call to the 4th CST,” said Lt. Col. Shane Strickland, 4th CST commander. “The 4th CST has set up a forward operating center, a decontamination point, and will send out a down range sample collection team to collect a sample. With this sample we can identify what substance the incident commander is dealing with within four hours, advise him concerning actions he should take based on the results of the sample and help connect the IC to additional resources that can support and assist in dealing with the threat.”

Attendees for the capabilities brief included representatives from Dougherty county, the six bordering counties, Georgia Emergency Management Agency, the Highway Patrol, Congressman Scott’s representative, Sen. Chambliss’ representative, the Georgia Department of Health, police and fire representatives from the local colleges and Georgia’s National Guard’s deputy adjutant general.

“We wanted to bring the 4th CST to introduce the Marine Corps Logistics Base [MCLB] and local first responders to available civil support resources,” said Mike Harris, MCLB emergency manager coordinator. He continued, “I am hoping that the MCLB, the city and county first responders leave with an understanding of the 4th CST’s capabilities and know that it is available when needed.”

The WMD 4th CST is the tip of the spear concerning the Georgia National Guard’s ability to respond to WMD events. The 4th CST is a 22 man full-time force specializing in detecting and identifying hazards but they are part of a larger force. They are part of a 566-man part time force known as the Homeland Response Force that specializes in search and rescue, decontamination, emergency medicine, extraction, security, and command and control to large WMD events.

“I hope we see local communities like Albany turn to us to help train their first responders to react to WMD threats and I hope they leave understanding we are here to support them when needed with our specialized equipment, personnel and training,” said Russell Carlson, deputy adjutant general, Georgia National Guard. He continued, “we see ourselves as a community partner and want our communities to know what capabilities we can provide. Bottom line everyone should know the Georgia National Guard is here for our communities.”

• Date Taken: 07.11.2013
• Date Posted: 01.21.2014 12:13
• Story ID: 119401
• Location: MARIETTA, GA, US