Firefighters train to save survivors

Photo By Staff Sgt. Alexander Skripnichuk | Ricky Woronka, a Fort Jackson firefighter working for the Atlantic Region strike-team takes a simulated casualty and hands him to Scott Dollman, a Wooster, Ohio, native working as the assistant fire chief for the Fort Jackson Fire Department. Muscatatuck Urban Training Center offers realistic training for both military and civilian personnel. Vibrant Response is a major field training exercise conducted by U.S. Northern Command and led by U.S. Army North. Approximately 5,000 service members and civilians from the military and other federal and state agencies throughout the country are training to respond to a catastrophic domestic incident. As a component of U.S. Northern Command, Army North coordinates timely federal military response to disasters in the homeland to help the American people in a time of need.(US Army photos taken by SPC. Alexander Skripnichuk/released)  

IN, UNITED STATES

08.04.2014

Story by Spc. Alexander Skripnichuk 

7th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

MUSCATATUCK, Ind. – As the clock ticks, survivors of a simulated flood sit on the rooftops of flooded houses as they wait for someone to rescue them. The familiar noise of an outboard motor comes from the distance. The sight of a boat approaching brings relief as they realize help is on the way.

Firefighters from military installation fire departments at Fort Benning, Fort Jackson and Fort Knox came together to practice their skills in rescue operations in realistic conditions at Muscatatuck Urban Training Center in North Vernon, Indiana, as part of an annual joint training exercise called Vibrant Response.

“This is our first time participating as a joint strike-team with other fire departments,” said Jacob Gwer, a captain at the Fort Knox Fire Department. “We get to work as one team to successfully accomplish the mission.”

MUTC offers the firefighters a realistic version of a flooded city, complete with flooded buildings, street signs and submerged cars.

“This is the best training available to us,” said Ricky Woronka, a Columbia, South Carolina, native working as an emergency medical technician for the Fort Jackson Fire Department. “Nowhere else do you have flooded buildings and cars with people to rescue in a controlled environment.”

A combination of actors and realistic mannequins populate the interior and exterior of the buildings in the flooded village scenario.

“This is the only location we know of of where you can get into a boat and rescue people,” said Gwer. “In a safe environment, of course.”

The joint strike-team members practice other rescue scenarios available at MUTC.

In addition to providing water rescue, the firefighters also train in trench, structural collapse and hazardous environment rescue scenarios.

MUTC provides all these scenarios in one location, giving the firefighters all the training they require to stay mission ready.

Military and civilian personnel come here on an annual basis to train and maintain their skills.

“It's my third time here,” said Gwer. “Each visit allows new members of our organizations to come train with us.”

Vibrant Response is a major field training exercise conducted by U.S. Northern Command and led by U.S. Army North. Approximately 5,000 service members and civilians from the military and other federal and state agencies throughout the country are training to respond to a catastrophic domestic incident. As a component of U.S. Northern Command, Army North coordinates timely federal military response to disasters in the homeland to help the American people in a time of need.

• Date Taken: 08.04.2014
• Date Posted: 08.04.2014 18:24
• Story ID: 138275
• Location: IN, US
• Hometown: COLUMBIA, SC, US