Emergency Management: Barksdale's response team

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Samuel O'Brien
  • 2 Bomb Wing Public Affairs

Those who have been at Barksdale long enough likely remember 2009 as a difficult year. It was a year that saw a tornado and a flood descend upon the base. Fast forward to 2011 and Barksdale is still here, healthy and thriving.

Its recovery can be attributed to the quick response and diligent efforts of many different base organizations, including the one that not only responds to disasters, but helps to coordinate units' cooperation in such matters.

Barksdale's 2nd Civil Engineering Emergency Management Flight is that organization. Their responsibilities are not limited to the scope of natural disasters. They also respond to any threats to the base including chemical attacks and suspicious packages.

Response is a small part of the job for this unit. The bulk of their time is spent in training. The starting point, however, is the planning section.

"If there's a tornado, we have a plan for it. If there's a chemical attack, we have a plan for it," said Senior Airman Alison Kirk, who works in the plans and operations section of EM.

EM trains within their own organization so they can constantly be on top of their responsibilities. They also train Airmen from other squadrons as EM representatives to better prepare them for possible real life situations.

"Coordination is the most important part," said Staff Sgt Brandon Layman, NCO-in-charge of EM training. "It's the same with the rest of the Air Force. Once anything happens you have to get together with everyone else. We are the emergency operations center for all the different squadrons."

EM representatives also give emergency preparedness briefings at Right Start, ensuring new residents of Barksdale are aware of all possible threats and warning signals.

The logistics section is charged with managing all the equipment that enables EM Airmen to safely perform their duties. Whether it's equipment that's used on base or the deployable detection equipment, they ensure that all of it stays organized and functional.

"My highest priority is making sure all the detection equipment works, everything, every single day," said Senior Airman Nika Kliebert, 2CES logistics assistant. "All the equipment we own has to be calibrated. We use different equipment every day and we're always getting new equipment delivered."

Exercises and training are a large part of the job. After simulations, EM members can be found guiding Airmen through procedures such as proper decontamination following a chemical attack.
While much of the time goes into planning and preparation, the actual response is what many in the EM office live for.

"I actually like the idea of getting to respond to stuff. I'm from New Orleans so I was really interested in responding after Hurricane Katrina," Kliebert said.

During the 2009 flood, the EM office was manned for 48 hours straight, ensuring that all base agencies that were involved stayed in constant communication and that all necessary equipment was dispersed, tracked and eventually recollected.

"Anytime there's a threat for hurricanes or tornadoes, which we occasionally get, it's on our radar. We're prepared for it," said Layman.

No one wants to see a situation where EM has to respond. But if there ever is a threat or a disaster situation on base, you can be sure that you'll see the appropriate base agencies responding.

Behind all of that will be the emergency management team. You might not see them in the middle of a crisis situation, but it's a safe bet somewhere, the members of the EM office are off in relative anonymity doing their part to make it possible for everyone to complete the mission.