Fatality Search and Recovery Team continues advancing to readily support base and community

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Sara Kolinski | Senior Airmen Jean Santiago-Reyes and Staff Sgt. Nelson Marques, 104th Force Support Squadron Fatality Search and Recovery Team members, carry parts to assemble tents during a shelter training Aug 20, 2020, at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts. The Airmen spent the day with a team of instructors learning the proper procedures for assembling the tents safely and efficiently. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Sara Kolinski)  

WESTFIELD, MA, UNITED STATES

09.03.2020

Story by Senior Airman Sara Kolinski 

104th Fighter Wing

Airmen on the 104th Fighter Wing Fatality Search and Recovery Team took part in training to familiarize themselves with the techniques for setting up new shelters August 20, 2020, at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts.

The new temporary shelters are necessary for successful execution of the FSRT mission – to provide fatality search and recovery processing capabilities in contaminated and non-contaminated environments, said Master Sgt. Lauren Gallagher, 104 FW FSRT Non-Commissioned Officer In Charge.

Gallagher said that the new tents will be beneficial for the FSRT team and will require less manpower for set up.

“The new tents decrease set up time expeditiously compared to previous models used,” said Gallagher. “This will enable us to provide support at a much faster rate.”

Fatality Search and Recovery Team members and alternates perform shelter training semi-annually, however getting a new shelter made the recent training more essential.

“In order to be mission ready we need to know how to put up the new tents purchased,” said Staff Sgt. Carissa Tryba, 104 FW FSRT team lead. “We will continue training throughout our drill weekends practicing fast and efficient ways to set up that helps us do our tasked mission.”

Lt. Col. Sherri Hrovatin, 104th Force Support Squadron commander, said that the 11 members on the FSRT team have special training which allows them to operate in a broad spectrum of dangerous environments including those contaminated with nuclear, biological, or chemical agents.

“The training our members performed this week enhance their ability to establish command and control in a non-contaminated environment while assisting state emergency responders with recovery of our citizens,” said Hrovatin.

The team spent the day with instructors setting up the tents and learning the best techniques for effective set up to ensure all the Airmen comfortable with their roles in the mission.

“I remember being new to FSRT and struggling understanding what is it exactly we do,” said Tryba. “There is lots of training to be on the team and really the only way to learn and understand is to do an actual operation.”

• Date Taken: 09.03.2020
• Date Posted: 09.03.2020 10:43
• Story ID: 377401
• Location: WESTFIELD, MA, US