Academy trains with new incident response system

  • Published
  • By Capt. Kim Melchor
  • U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFPN) --  Emergency responders here were introduced to the new national incident management system that was signed into federal law March 1.

The new program outlines the National Response Plan all federal, state and local emergency responders must adhere to by end of 2004 when responding to an incident involving weapons of mass destruction or terrorism.

A team from Texas Engineering Extension Service out of Texas A & M University Systems visited the academy to assess the base and local community’s vulnerabilities to terrorism and resources available to address them. The team also introduced emergency responders to the new unified response format and tested the base during a 12-hour major response exercise April 27.

The team members said they were impressed with the base’s response capabilities.

“You’re way ahead of a lot of other bases,” said Jory Grassinger, an instructor who taught the weapons of mass destruction incident management course. “The academy should really be pleased.”

The team conducted five courses: WMD incident management for unified commanders, hazardous materials response, air-quality monitoring, explosive ordnance disposal operations and emergency medical services.

Course participants represented fire services, law enforcement, emergency medical services, emergency planning and communications, public health, public works and hazardous materials response -- from both on and off base.

“I now have a better idea how we can all work together,” said Corliss Brecht, from the El Paso County Public Health communicable diseases office, referring to the joint-response plan.

Course participants worked together in teams to apply information presented in the courses and incorporate the unified response system into realistic scenarios.

“When I first came here, I didn’t know what to expect,” said Tech. Sgt. Paul Donaldson, an explosive ordnance disposal technician from F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. “(The incident command system) hasn’t been implemented at our base yet, now I feel ahead of the game and can assist with the transition.”

Regularly responding to civilian requests for assistance, Sergeant Donaldson said he is used to working with the civilian community and understands the need for a common language among responders.

Establishing that common language and communication capability is the biggest challenge, officials said, and the system is intended to eliminate that vulnerability. Following the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, emergency responders identified the need to have both common equipment and a common language established to allow all responders to communicate effectively.

“We had to develop a standard system to quickly interface with each other,” said Randy Gholson, an instructor with the National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center.

Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche said the Air Force will conform to the system, and installations need to improve their ability to cooperate with and support -- or be supported by -- neighboring civilian communities. The new response system has many similarities to how the military already responds to a major incident, but there are some areas of command structure that are new.

“(The system) is a hard-sell in the military mindset. It takes an open-minded person to accept some of the changes,” said Staff Sgt. Chad Kinser of the 10th Medical Group’s bio-environmental flight. “But I can definitely see how we fit into the picture.”

“Bottom line, we will be one community dealing with one incident. We need one response,” said Richard Seim, program manager for WMD training for the Department of Defense through the National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center.