Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Elizabeth Pena | In this image released by Joint Task Force 136 (Maneuver Enhancement Brigade), members...... read more read more
CAMP BOWIE, Texas - In the fight to save lives during an emergency, one can never be too prepared. To effectively serve the citizens of their communities, National Guard assets and their civilian counterparts must work alongside one another to ensure they are ready to go when a disaster occurs. For the members of Joint Task Force 136 (Maneuver Enhancement Brigade), this means frequent and realistic training in preparation for the day their support is needed.
The joint Texas National Guard unit, working with local civilian first responders, conducted a simulated, mass-casualty exercise during its annual training in Brownwood, Texas, and nearby Camp Bowie, Nov. 17-20, 2014.
“It is extremely important for us to be out here today,” said Air Guard Staff Sgt. Laura Morato, a search and extraction medic with the Air Guard medical section. “Constant practice, constant knowing of our peers and resources, as well as making sure that we are constantly refreshed, is always great. There's a lot of new faces around, so getting them acclimated to our mission is important.”
The training exercise involved a simulated train derailment with several rail cars leaking a potentially radiological material, posing a threat to people and property in the area. This disaster was severe enough that local authorities called for additional support, leading to the activation of the Texas Homeland Response Force mission.
The Texas HRF mission, executed by JTF-136 (MEB), includes the efforts of support outfits like the 6th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive (CBRNE) Enhanced Response Force Package. The CERFP supports local authorities by providing search and extraction, decontamination, and medical triage assets capable of operating in a contaminated zone.
“This is important to Texas,” said Air Guard 1st Lt. Jonathan Gann, intercom officer in charge of the medical planning and operations for the 6th CERFP. “It allows us to showcase capabilities that the Texas National Guardsmen have that we can bring into the fight in terms of any type of casualty or threat that could occur to the state, and it allows us to be able to integrate with local and state authorities and allows us to practice with them to be on the same page. It’s very important to build that relationship and bridge any gaps.”
Alongside the 6th CERFP is the 6th Civil Support Team, tasked with identifying and monitoring CBRNE agents and substances. This 22-person team has a 90-minute response time and helps to provide initial assessments for what is needed from the CERFP.
“In the scenario that were working with today, the CST and the CERFP are responding to aid the local first responders,” said Army Guard Lt. Col. William Phillips, commander of the 6th CST. “We work quite regularly with the local first responders and when an incident is beyond their robust capabilities, they will request CST support and we come out help them identify agents that are unknown to them and suggest recommendations on life safety and evacuations.”
There are currently 10 National Guard-sourced HRF mission sets, composed of approximately 570 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen. Regionally-oriented, the 10 HRFs are hosted by one to three states in each of the 10 FEMA regions. When not deployed, the HRF personnel focus on planning, training, and exercising within their respective states, as with this exercise in Brownwood.
“This is a good test for us, because it gives us an opportunity to adjust ourselves and prepare for different scenarios, locations and different areas and that’s something that is very important for our mission,” said Army Guard Sgt. Candido Godines, the logistics noncommissioned officer for the 6th CERFP.
The Texas National Guard prides itself in its ability to adapt to new environments and respond effectively under pressure during critical situations. Brownwood is just one of many cities throughout the region where JTF-136 (MEB) has trained with its civilian counterparts to establish good working relationships in the service of local communities.
“I like this team; I like what I do,” said Morato. “It’s fun and I feel it’s an important part of being in the Texas National Guard. Our training is top-notch; we definitely are constantly training so we are always ready to go.”
| Date Taken: | 11.19.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 11.20.2014 19:33 |
| Story ID: | 148418 |
| Location: | BROWNWOOD, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 224 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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