Barksdale Emergency Services Team

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. – Airman 1st Class Timothy Ferraro, 2d Security Forces Squadron, Emergency Services Team member takes aim down an abandoned hallway while his team clears a room Feb. 18. The squad trains once a week with a full day of training once a month. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Alexandra Longfellow) (RELEASED)

Barksdale Emergency Services Team

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. – Barksdale’s Emergency Services Team pose for a photo after training at an off-base location Feb. 18. The squad participates in tactical training to better prepare them for real-world scenarios. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Alexandra Longfellow) (RELEASED)

Barksdale Emergency Services Team

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. – Members of the Barksdale’s Emergency Services Team swiftly moves into position to clear a room during a training session at an off-base location Feb. 18. Barksdale’s EST is one of the only teams left in the military as most bases use civilian departments. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Alexandra Longfellow) (RELEASED)

Shot in the dark

Published Feb. 19, 2010
By Senior Airman Megan M. Tracy
2d Bomb Wing Public Affairs

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- The 2d Security Forces Squadron's Emergency Services Team took a day to refresh their tactical training skills at Doctors Hospital in downtown Shreveport Feb 18.

The specialized team trains together regularly to help keep continuity within the squad. EST commander, 1st Lt. Daniel Minnocci, said the team performs a variety of tactical readiness exercises to keep their skills sharp and members ready for anything.

"Training like this is important because it's vital for emergency services teams to train together," he said. "We learn each other's movements which better prepares us for when we're faced with a real-world situation."

Typically, an EST has up to 30 specialized personnel who are outfitted with standard war-fighting gear as well as special uniforms and tactical equipment designed to better equip them for their specific mission.

Some EST-specific missions include handling hostage situations, sniper incidents, barricaded subjects, counter-terrorism operations, threatened suicide rescues and acting as a special event response force.

"We run the gamut when it comes to training for missions," said Lieutenant Minnocci. "Our specialization is hostage rescue and barricaded subject apprehension, but we also serve felony warrants on the installation for known dangerous persons, extra security at air shows and most recently we've been more geared toward active shooter training."

Team members spent the day doing tactical training in the abandoned hospital. They refreshed their skills by doing hallway sweep-throughs and room clearings.

"This training helps us prepare for real life," said Staff Sgt. Jose Francia, EST member. "It helps us so that if we did go into something serious--something real world--then we know what to do to save our buddy and ourselves."

Most bases around the Air Force use their local civilian emergency services team, but Barksdale is one of the few remaining bases that has it's own team.

"Barksdale's unique in the fact that it still has a fully operational team," said Lieutenant Minnocci. "It's actually to the benefit of the installation because we have that immediate response capability versus having an agency respond from off the installation."

Training like this gives EST members a better understanding of how to swiftly and effectively handle any type of situation that may arise.