Oahu prepares for terrorism
USMC News
Story by Sgt. Alexis R. Mulero
Story Identification Number: 2003214182654
MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, KANEOHE BAY, Hawaii(Feb. 6, 2003) -- A group of Marines, federal workers and National guardsmen from Hawaii Army National Guard's 93rd Civil Support Team (Weapons of Mass Destruction) participated in a mass destruction response exercise aboard MCB Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, Feb. 3 - 6.
Operation Tropical Blizzard included local police; explosive ordnance disposal; nuclear, biological and chemical specialists; firefighters; and hazardous material experts.
"The exercise was designed to enhance inter-agency cooperation from all state, county and federal agencies in response to a terrorist incident," said Staff Sgt. Rex Johnson, NBC chief, Combat Service Support Group 3.
During the weeklong exercise, all parties practiced for an event they hope will never occur: a chemical, nuclear or biological terrorist attack.
The mission was to assess the scope and severity of a terrorist attack by sampling suspected contaminants, then advising civil authorities on how to deal with them.
The exercise was scenario-driven and began when several terrorists were detected arriving on the Mokapu Peninsula via a raider boat.
When the terrorists landed at Pyramid Rock Beach, they immediately established a firing position and commenced firing chemical mortar rounds until one of them backfired, killing the terrorists.
Emergency crews quickly responded, identified the rounds, collected samples, analyzed them and detected a nerve agent.
The evolution continued with a myriad of other realistic scenarios that exercised the knowledge of all involved.
Additionally, of all the participating agencies, the crews that collected and analyzed the imaginary agents may have had the toughest job of the exercise. The crew proceeded into a contaminated area wearing special protective suits, with temperatures much hotter inside than outside of the suits.
All in all, the exercise was a way to merge first response agencies in an effort to familiarize them with each other's role during an NBC terrorist threat.
"The joint training has been excellent for both the military and its civilian counterparts, said Army Maj. Courtney Vares-Lum, deputy commander of 93rd CST/WMD.
"This has helped us further define our roles and responsibilities during a response."
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
