Members of the North Dakota National Guard’s Bismarck, North Dakota-based 81st Civil Support Team search Ralph Engelstad Arena for explosive devices and work to determine the extent of the simulated contamination during a joint training exercise Sept. 17, 2015, in Grand Forks, N.D. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by 2nd Lt. Eric P. Jungels, North Dakota National Guard Public Affairs Office/Released)
North Dakota National Guard Public Affairs
Courtesy Story
The incident — part of a joint training exercise — required the agencies to identify, evaluate and eliminate hazardous materials, after an improvised explosive device expelled a powder in the building that left nine people sick and threatened the health and safety of others.
Simulated victims were evacuated and decontaminated by the Grand Forks Fire Department. The 81st CST and the fire department’s HAZMAT Team donned protective suits to collect and analyze samples of the malicious substance, so that proper medical treatment could be provided and the threat could be neutralized.
“In an effort to protect local civilian populations from similar hazards, we regularly conduct joint training events like this one,” said Maj. Patrick Flanagan, deputy commander for the 81st CST. “Our team has developed relationships and trained for more efficient and effective interoperability with civilian emergency response organizations across the entire state of North Dakota.”
As part of weeklong series of “collective lanes training” training scenarios, the unit has been honing its disaster response skills with the help of representatives from U.S. Army North Civil Support Readiness Group.
Officials from U.S. Army North developed multiple training scenarios, which included a release of toxic chemicals at a water treatment facility in Grand Forks earlier in the week, based on the 81st CST’s training objectives. The organization provides feedback to 81st CST leaders charged with preparing the unit for annual recertification evaluations and — ultimately — the possibility of real-world events.
Lt. Col. Steve Hedrick, the 81st CST commander and a member of the N.D. Air National Guard, said the training event provided an opportunity to test individual skills, procedures and equipment.
“Follow-on missions at Engelstad Arena, which was provided and coordinated through the University of North Dakota staff, included searching the building for additional explosive devices and determining the extent of the simulated contamination,” Hedrick said. “The exercise was also an opportunity for both agencies to test their decontamination procedures and communications equipment.”
The 81st Civil Support, comprised of North Dakota National Guard Soldiers and Airmen, stands ready to respond immediately, at any time of day or night, to chemical, nuclear, biological, radiological and explosive hazards.
Two members of the North Dakota National Guard’s Bismarck, North Dakota-based 81st Civil Support Team search Ralph Engelstad Arena for explosive devices and work to determine the extent of the simulated contamination during a joint training exercise Sept. 17, 2015, in Grand Forks, N.D. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by 2nd Lt. Eric P. Jungels, North Dakota National Guard Public Affairs Office/Released)
Two members of the North Dakota National Guard’s Bismarck, North Dakota-based 81st Civil Support Team search Ralph Engelstad Arena for explosive devices and work to determine the extent of the simulated contamination during a joint training exercise Sept. 17, 2015, in Grand Forks, N.D. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by 2nd Lt. Eric P. Jungels, North Dakota National Guard Public Affairs Office/Released)
