Photo By Tech. Sgt. Daniel Hotter | New York National Guard CBRN Task Force search extraction medics, Tech. Sgt. Zahara...... read more read more
Subscribe
Fifty-three Airmen assigned to the New York National Guard’s 105th Airlift Wing played key roles during a September evaluation of the New York and New Jersey National Guard’s Homeland Response Force. The 105th Airmen constitute the medical section of the force and also provide vital communications support.
The 105th Airmen are combined with other airmen and soldiers from the New York National Guard assigned to the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Task Force and Homeland Response Force for FEMA Region II, conducted a joint training exercise and external evaluation known as an EXEVAL at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, on September 12, 2022.
The EXEVAL happens every 3-5 years to ensure response readiness to extract and save lives in the scenarios of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attack, or CBRN for short. The personnel are trained to extract victims from a destroyed building, decontaminate them, and provide initial medial treatment.
"These trainings are very beneficial, they give the members an opportunity to experience some of the stress of a mass casualty incident," said M aster Sgt. Jime Thompson, the search and extraction medic non-commissioned officer in charge for the CBRN Task Force medical element.
Thompson is assigned to the 105th Airlift Wing's 105th Medical Group at Stewart Air National Guard Base, Newburgh, NY.
The NYNG CBRN Task Force Medical Element performs collective training exercises (CTE) with the HRF at least twice a year.
There were over 200 personnel participating in this exercise composed of Air and Army National Guardsmen, and civilians., according to Captain Zachary German, the Medical Plans and Operations Officer for the CBRN Task Force Medical .
Forty-seven medical personnel and six communications technicians from the 105th Airlift Wing were part of the exercise, German said. The communicators manned the Joint Incident Site Communication Capability system. Known as JISCC-- pronounced jisk-- for short, the system allows emergency responders using different communications networks to speak to each other.
"Personnel are split up into six main elements: command and control, search and extraction, decontamination, medical treatment, JISCC and an assist and support element to maintain the integrity of the incident site," German said.
The JISCC is a crucial component for personnel to communicate during scenarios such as these, both in training and real world, he explained.
Lt. Christopher Hawkins director of operations for 105th Communications Flight, 105th Airlift Wing, said the JISCC team provided connectivity during the exercise. The team set up within minutes and provided multiple methods of communication (ie. data, voice, radio) relaying information from various incident site locations to the command center.
"Communications with the JISCC are fully integrated, with capabilities of tracking personnel, sending dropped pins, waypoints, overlays of building schematics that they may go into, streaming videos, and sending photos," German said.
Practice scenarios and evaluations like these help with the coordination between military and civilian inter-agency operations, which would be the fastest way to respond and save lives in a real-world crisis, German said.
| Date Taken: | 09.12.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 11.03.2022 15:48 |
| Story ID: | 432572 |
| Location: | FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, PA, US |
| Hometown: | STEWART AIR GUARD STATION, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 364 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, New York National Guard Homeland Response Force Evaluates Life Saving Capabilities, by SSgt Terrence Clyburn and TSgt Daniel Hotter, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT