Photo By Jeremy Levin | Members of the 735th Field Service Company of the Missouri National Guard assess a...... read more read more
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SALINA, Kan. - Emergency preparedness agencies from across the region conducted a search and rescue operation during Vigilant Guard 2014, a joint emergency response exercise hosted by the state of Kansas, at Crisis City, near Salina, Kansas, Aug. 4, 2014.
“With this particular exercise, troops are providing specific response to tornadoes,” said Sgt. 1st Class Lee Given, with the Joint Interagency Training Education Center and West Virginia National Guard.
JITEC representatives observe and collect data regarding the exercise to provide to Northern Command and National Guard Bureau, the sponsors of the exercise.
The exercise scenario involved tornadoes hitting Emporia, Junction City, Ogden, Manhattan and Salina. Training exercises like this help participants become more familiar with what they will face in the real world.
“While conducting the drill, participants are looking for different types of chemical contaminates, such as asbestos, gas or other chemicals that we may come across,” said Given. “The role players need to be careful with what they come in contact with.”
In addition to simulated dangers, role players also face real-world safety issues, and must make sure they are wearing personal protective equipment and are prepared to work in the heat, Givens said.
Missions like this require a lot of readiness and prior training in order to be ready for the worst.
“With this mission, we have to be ready to go at the drop of a dime,” said Sgt. Nadia Porter, 735th Field Service Company, Missouri Army National Guard, Rolla, Missouri. “When we get the call, we have to be ready to go, so we are always packed up and ready. We cannot predict a natural disaster.”
Overall, many of the Soldiers participating in the exercise believe that the first day of training has already proven beneficial.
“The company I am with, 735th FSC, this is a great opportunity to have this mission,” said Porter. “It’s really brought us closer, and it has tested our ability to learn.”
| Date Taken: | 08.04.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 08.08.2014 15:45 |
| Story ID: | 138774 |
| Location: | SALINA, KANSAS, US |
| Hometown: | COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, US |
| Hometown: | EMPORIA, KANSAS, US |
| Hometown: | JUNCTION CITY, KANSAS, US |
| Hometown: | MANHATTAN, KANSAS, US |
| Hometown: | OGDEN, KANSAS, US |
| Hometown: | ROLLA, MISSOURI, US |
| Hometown: | SALINA, KANSAS, US |
| Hometown: | TOPEKA, KANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 56 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Interoperability prevalent during Vigilant Guard 2014, by SPC Robert Havens, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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