Joint unit training provides better integration

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jason McCasland
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  In the event of a strategic incident on or off installation, teamwork between different base agencies can mean the difference between an incident and tragedy.

Recently, Airmen from the 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron and 2nd Medical Group teamed up to train for these possiblities.

"Basically we are pretending that we had an airplane crash with some type of nuclear or radiation hazard present and taking the appropriate measures to identify what type of protective equipment is needed and possible after incident care for responders and people affected by the scenario," said Tech. Sgt. Bobbie Joe Perry 2nd Aerospace Medicine Squadron bio-environmental flight chief. "This exercise helps protect the health of the community and responders. We learn how each other work and what needs to be done to minimize exposure and injuries.

From natural disasters to aircraft incidents and anything in between team work is important. Each Airman must know what they have to do and what other offices have to do in concert.

"One of the main reasons for these exercises is to get all the different moving parts working together," said Tech. Sgt. Shawn Jamison, 2nd CES emergency management NCO in charge training. "Our main goals are to make sure we can contain the hazards so we can minimize the risks to others."

Interagency exercises build working relationships and make real-world responses easier.

"These types of exercises help us find weaknesses and make corrections, so we can get it right if it were to happen in real life," said Jamison.