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    NHCCC DECON Team Respond Locked and Loaded

    NHCCC DECON Team Respond Locked and Loaded

    Photo By William Love | CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi's Chemical, Biological,...... read more read more

    CORPUS CHRISTI, TX, UNITED STATES

    12.02.2016

    Story by William Love 

    Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi, Texas

    CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (Dec. 2, 2016) -- Twenty-three Sailors from Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi's Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Decontamination (DECON) Team completed the Navy Bureau of Medicine (BUMED) First Receiver Operations Training (FROT) Dec. 1, 2016.

    The two-and-a-half-day course is designed to educate U.S. Navy Medical First Receivers on life-saving skills required to triage, initiate field treatment, decontaminate and save victims from CBRN, or Hazardous Materials. It involved a day of classroom instruction with the remainder of time devoted to gear inventory, equipment set-up, utility checks, and a hands-on, timed teamwork drill.

    When Dr. Theresa Casey, DECON LLC., DECON Instructor and BUMED contractor, gave the start signal, the CBRN team suited up, constructed the warm zone operations area, and began effectively decontaminating mock casualties from a simulated terrorist attack using a weapon of mass destruction.

    Agilely maneuvering among the crew while the minute hand raced forward, Casey methodically evaluated their responsiveness to don hot and uncomfortable personal protective equipment and set up a decontamination station with its pump, electric hook-up, heater, plumbing and other necessary gear. In five minutes they were up and running with shelter and water connections, and within ten minutes they were processing, triaging and fully decontaminating patients.

    "Our Primary concern is the patient, and getting them to medical treatment as soon as possible. This training gives NHCCC a real-world capability and response to any CBRN/HAZMAT incident," said Petty Officer 1st Class Richard R. Minter, the clinic's Medical Treatment Facility Emergency Management Officer. "The team worked together knowing that they had something important to do, they got it done, and they did it quickly!"

    Casey also praised the Sailors and their Command.

    “The NHCCC Patient DECON Team successfully completed the First Receiver Operations Training, ending with a rigorous, timed HAZMAT exercise,” she said. “The team was absolutely outstanding! They achieved mission-capable in less than five minutes, beating the required time of 15 minutes. We always hope this capability is never really needed, but if there's a CBRN or HAZMAT event at NAS Corpus Christi, NHCCC is locked and loaded to respond!”

    Capt. Marnie S. Buchanan, acting commanding officer, kept a keen eye on her Sailors' performance during the exercise. Following the drill she relayed her praise in a message saying, "I commend the dedication of the planning team PO1 Minter & PO3 Sam Burns, Mr. Ricky Foust, DPH leadership and the motivated volunteers for their participation in the training experience!”

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 12.02.2016
    Date Posted: 12.02.2016 13:53
    Story ID: 216261
    Location: CORPUS CHRISTI, TX, US

    Web Views: 149
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN