The District of Columbia National Guard’s 33rd Civil Support Team (CST) is comprised of highly trained technicians capable of responding to natural and man-made disasters that could threaten life and public safety. In fact, during the 58th Presidential Inauguration for example, approximately 1,200 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen came to D.C. to work alongside the 33rd CST in direct support of federal, state and local fire and emergency services. But in order to stay ready to respond to chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear threats, members train often with not only technologically advanced life-saving equipment, but partner agencies located in other parts of the U.S. and abroad.
“We are the military’s first-responders,” said Army Maj. Drew Smith, 33rd Civil Support Team commander. “Throughout my career I’ve responded to Hurricane Katrina, the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, [West Virginia’s] Elk River Chemical Spill — so the range of things we collectively can respond to is wide … operations and communication support is very big and obviously during a CBRN incident our laboratory support and downrange survey support in hazardous environments is huge.”
During a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region III multi-CST exercise held May 8 through the 12 in Lewes, Delaware, members of the 33rd CST worked alongside members of National Guard units from five other states (Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia). Guard members tested their capabilities in survey, analytics, decontamination, communications and command operations. Scenarios members of the 33rd CST faced included a range of events from response to a Clandestine lab used to make a deadly nerve agent located in a shipping container on the Lewes and Rehoboth Canal to response to an incident involving a FBI “most wanted” fugitive with ties to weapons of mass destruction.
“Times are changing, just like the means to create mayhem are changing, so training is essential. While [CST teams] each have responsibilities for our individual states and territories, there are situations and incidents that one CST team may not be able to handle. So there is an understanding between our region partners to be able to assist during those particular times,” said Army 1st Lt. Derek Ortiz, 33rd CST team leader. “The scenarios we trained on were all pieces of a bigger situation and investigation.”
Army Sgt. Daniel Billingsley and Air Force Staff Sgt. Richard Gidron are CBRN incident response specialists who donned Level B hazmat suits and were armed with “life-saving” survey equipment during the duration of the exercise. Both specialists were tasked with site reconnaissance and mitigation.
“Speed is not really the ultimate goal during this type of response, you’ve got to be smooth and steady,” Gidron said. “If you move too fast, you can really put yourself in an unsafe situation.”
“There’s a focus on many dangers around us in this kind of response — danger to life, health and the environment,” added Billingsley. “But we also carry equipment that we have to trust. It’s about using trusted equipment that helps us accomplish our mission to keep people and our local environment safe.”
Meanwhile, Sgt. 1st Class Earl Johnson, CBRN NCOIC, watched it all unfold through the use of a downrange hazardous material camera, a high-tech video recorder that streams what CRNE incident response specialists are doing in “real time” to a screen within a nearby operations mobile center.
“The ability to watch the video feed ensures greater command and control and an additional set of eyes for what’s happening downrange in case the situation changes,” Johnson said.
Billingsley metaphorically likens the exercise and duties of CBRNE incident response specialists within the 33rd CST to putting together a high-value rare painting that’s been broken up into a puzzle, “Putting together as many valuable pieces as possible helps the public remain safe and accomplishes the mission.”
An observation that extends to Army Maj. Joubert Paulino, science officer within the 33rd CST who is responsible for analytics within the Analytical Laboratory System (ALS), a $2-million laboratory on wheels.
“I work in the unit that helps identify unknown chemicals, as well as analysis of unknown radiological spectra. It’s about providing immediate results on-site,” Paulino said. “In short, I’m responsible for analysis that helps the incident commander make decisions with higher authorities. We train to be prepared for the worst, and hope for the best.”
| Date Taken: | 05.12.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 05.19.2017 09:45 |
| Category: | Package |
| Video ID: | 525857 |
| VIRIN: | 170512-F-PL327-656 |
| Filename: | DOD_104386865 |
| Length: | 00:05:20 |
| Location: | WASHINGTON, DC, US |
| Downloads: | 24 |
| High-Res. Downloads: | 24 |
This work, D.C. National Guard 33rd Civil Support Team: 'Means to create mayhem are changing', by MSgt Arthur Wright, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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