Photo By Master Sgt. Raymond Drumsta | ROUSES POINT, N.Y. -- New York Naval Militia (NYNM) members Chief Petty Officer Wayne...... read more read more
Subscribe
ROUSES POINT, N.Y. -- With a lift from a New York Naval Militia patrol boat and crew, the New York National Guard's 2nd Civil Support Team showed their ability to find radioactive sources on boats entering Lake Champlain during Operation Clear Passage.
Working from a 28-foot New York Naval Militia (NYNM) boat, the New York Soldiers and Airmen boarded vessels stopped by law enforcement to look for radioactive sources – which could be used to make a dirty bomb -- during the multi-agency homeland security exercise held in and around the lake from July 22 to 24.
While working on water isn't a new thing for the Civil Support Team (CST), Operation Clear Passage nonetheless challenged the team's ability to track down multiple sources of radioactive material in challenging environments and scenarios.
Members of the 2nd CST and NYNM were among more than 75 personnel from 17 federal, state and international agencies who conducted law enforcement, homeland security and environmental monitoring missions throughout the operation.
Based at Stratton Air National Guard Base in Scotia N.Y., the 2nd CST is composed of full-time National Guard Soldiers and Airmen trained to detect the presence of chemical, biological, and radiological (CBRN) agents or weapons.
The unit responded to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and has regularly been on hand to assist law enforcement during major events like the Republican National Convention in New York City in 2004, the annual opening of the United Nations General Assembly, and the U.S. Open.
The New York Naval Militia is a state force of Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Reserve members who also volunteer to perform state duty in addition to their federal duties. The Naval Militia operates a fleet for nine patrol boats and that regularly work with the Coast Guard, Border Patrol, and local law enforcement agencies.
By providing their knowledge and expertise to law enforcement, 2nd CST members played "an integral role in the exercise," said New York Army National Guard Maj. Amy Benedetto, the deputy team commander and resident of Schenectady, N.Y.
"All we do is train to respond to CBRN incidents," Benedetto said. "Law enforcement has this as an additional duty. We're the subject-matter experts for them. They rely on us for knowledge."
The 2nd CST, assisted by the NYNM, supported law-enforcement agencies by finding radioactive material on boats and other areas in and around Lake Champlain, according to Benedetto and New York Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Brandon Willit, a reconnaissance non-commissioned officer in the 2nd CST. During the exercise, team members were tasked to find radioactive material on a boat, on Valcour Island and in a parking lot, said Willit, of Voorheesville, N.Y.
In addition to the danger of contamination, radioactive material can be made into a Radiological Dispersion Device (RDD) -- otherwise known as a dirty bomb, Benedetto said. The trainers used a small radiation source to test team members, but the scenarios weren't easy, she and Willit recalled.
"They really did task our guys," Benedetto said. "It wasn't normal scenarios."
Those scenarios began the morning of July 22. After rallying at Treadwall Bay Marina in Plattsburgh, N.Y., the 2nd CST, NYNM and several agencies set off for that day's exercise area, which was near Rouses Point in Lake Champlain. The area is well within sight of the watery border between the United States and Canada, and near an old railroad trestle that forms a choke point for boats entering the United States.
Aboard the 28-foot boat operated by NYNM members Chief Petty Officer Wayne Hurlburt and Petty Officer 1st Class Robert Hill, four members of the 2nd CST didn't have to wait long before the Clinton County Sheriff's Office boat called them to check a boat they'd stopped.
"All of a sudden you get a hit, and you have to spring into action," Willit said. "Anything that jumps higher than background (radiation) is something that should be investigated."
After Hill maneuvered alongside the suspect boat, Hurlburt fastened a line to it so the 2nd CST members could board the boat and locate the radioactive material. During the search, Hill worked with the sheriff's boat to keep all three craft from drifting in the mild chop.
"Once we both got together, it was easy," recalled Hill, of Grafton, N.Y.
Meanwhile, New York Army National Guard Staff Sgt. David Hansen, the 2nd CST survey chief, clambered all over the suspect boat, and used an Identifinder detector to locate radioactive materials.
Though Hansen found the material relatively quickly, the limited space of the boat made it more difficult to isolate the source of radiation so it could be confirmed, Willit said. Typically they shield and segregate suspected radiation sources, he explained.
"That allows us to go over the space we checked to confirm there's nothing else there," he said. "We're not on boats a lot. It kind of limits the way we react."
Trainers also varied the scenarios to test the troops, Benedetto said. For example, they used a stronger source of radiation to mask a weaker source, forcing team members to use greater skill, she explained.
"We had to pull out multiple pieces of equipment to get an accurate reading," Benedetto said. "Our equipment is very sensitive."
Team members passed more tests in the following days, Willit said. They found three radiation sources in parked cars, and helped law-enforcement agencies search Valcour Island, he explained.
It was a good training event for the 2nd CST, Benedetto said. In addition to working with a greater number of their interagency partners, team members were forced to operate outside their comfort zones, she added.
"We got a unique opportunity to work with law-enforcement agencies in a maritime operation," she said. "It really did give our guys a challenge. So it was a success."
Willit agreed.
"I learned a lot about borders and the lake," he said. "Having us there was extremely important."
| Date Taken: | 07.22.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 07.27.2016 14:59 |
| Story ID: | 205231 |
| Location: | ROUSES POINT, NY, US |
| Hometown: | GRAFTON, NY, US |
| Hometown: | MELROSE, NY, US |
| Hometown: | NORTH GRANVILLE, NY, US |
| Hometown: | SCHENECTADY, NY, US |
| Hometown: | VOORHEESVILLE, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 114 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NY National Guard Civil Support Team teams up with New York Naval Militia in Maritime Homeland Security Exercise, by MSG Raymond Drumsta, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT