Camp Pendleton’s annual Wildland Firefighting Exercise

Photo By Cpl. Tyler Dietrich | Helicopters fill up with water from Lake O’Neill to assist Camp Pendleton Firefighters during the Roblar Fire on Camp Pendleton, Calif., July 22, 2016. The Roblar Fire has burned 2,000 acres and currently at 30% containment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tyler S. Dietrich)

CAMP PENDLETON, CA, UNITED STATES
05.02.2017
Story by Gunnery Sgt. Lynn Kinney
Marine Corps Installations West - Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton


Marine Corps Installations West, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton’s annual Wildland Firefighting Exercise is, once again, bringing together assets from I Marine Expeditionary Force, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Navy Region Southwest, 3rd Fleet, CAL FIRE and the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, May 1 to 5, to prepare for fire season.

Significant wildland fires throughout San Diego County in October of 2007 lead officials to seek a partnership between military and civilian aviation and firefighting assets to better manage crisis aboard regional military installations and in the surrounding communities.

Though several fires burned during the 2-week, according to CAL FIRE archives, the Ammo Fire alone burned more than 21 thousand acres of Camp Pendleton.

Since then, Camp Pendleton security and safety agencies, and local departments have been working together to streamline response and integrated communication efforts to provide ready, trained and certified military and civilian resources to combat wildland fires in the region, culminating with a cooperative effort to extinguish wildland fires.

According to George Shinrock, MCI-West Fire and Emergency Services program manager, the coordination for Defense Support of Civil Authorities is a year-round mission.

“With ever-changing and rotating personnel, it is important that we maintain communication and exercise the methodology and allow those decision makers the opportunity to [make the call to] get aircraft to respond,” said Shinrock.

All regional agencies participating have a vested interest in honing the relationships in preparation for what could be a heavy fire season, said Shinrock, career fire fighter and retired Marine, stressing the importance of Camp Pendleton’s training areas to I MEF’s ability to deploy it’s global force.

“While the recent rains were great for the region and have resulted in a very nice Spring, it is a part of the natural life cycle. Fire is also a part life cycle, when (the vegetation) dies off,” said Isaac Sanchez, the public information officer with CAL FIRE. “There has been a massive increase in grass here in San Diego County, increasing the threat of a catastrophic fire. It just adds more fuel.”

Sanchez highlighted the uniqueness of the relationships between the organizations participating in the exercise.

“All these agencies are eager to maintain open lines of communication to ensure the process is known and can be implemented in an efficient manner,” said Sanchez of the flow in which requests are routed from civil agencies to regional military units and installations.

“We are all working to combat the ravages of wildfires, both on and off the installations in the region,” said Shinrock, explaining how all these communities are affected by wildfires, from traffic on Interstate-5, to the rail line that travels through part of Camp Pendleton-which can all have direct off-base effects.

Air Force responding to Avon Park AFR wildfire

Courtesy Photo | An Air Force Wildland Fire Center team, supported by teams from the Florida Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is working to contain an 8,000-acre wildfire on the Avon Park Air Force Range in Florida. The AFWFC is part of the Air Force Civil Engineer Center’s Environmental Directorate at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. (Florida Forest Service photo)

AVON PARK AIR FORCE RANGE, FL, UNITED STATES
05.19.2017
Courtesy Story
Air Force Civil Engineer Center


JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas --
An Air Force Wildland Fire Center team is leveraging internal assets and interagency partnerships to contain the Echo Springs Wildfire, an 8,000-acre wildfire on the Avon Park Air Force Range in Florida.

Avon Park serves as a bombing range and air ground training complex for the military.

Currently, 25 percent contained, the wildfire started May 17 from range activity and is burning in an area with unexploded ordnance which limits suppression options, according to Tracy Meeks, AFWFC branch chief.

To contain the fire at the range, located in Polk and Highlands Counties, firefighters are focusing on cutting firebreaks with bulldozers and heavy equipment.

“Firebreaks create gaps in vegetation and remove fuel from the wildfire’s path to slow or stop the burn,” Meeks explained.

The AFWFC is the lead agency in the response efforts; the center is supported by strike teams from the Florida Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Firefighters and equipment from AFWFC Wildland Support Modules at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, are also en route to assist the efforts.

The AFWFC is part of the Air Force Civil Engineer Center’s Environmental Directorate at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. WSMs around the country are trained and equipped for wildfire response and management either on a seasonal or full-time basis.

Robust training, preparation, and strong interagency collaborations enable quick responses to wildfires threating Air Force missions, assets and people. Wildland firefighters are also National Wildfire Coordinating Group qualified and always ready to respond to a wildfire.

“(Our teams) are in a constant state of preparing and training for wildland fire operations. WSMs take proactive measures to mitigate wildfire risk, including prescribed burns and mechanical fuel treatments which reduce combustible materials available to a fire,” Meeks said.

Additionally, the AFWFC routinely collaborates with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service to focus on fire threats and maximize shared resources.

“Interagency collaboration is critical to ensuring we can respond to wildfires and take proactive preventive actions. The success of our program relies on those partnerships because they have established expertise in wildland fire management and the core competencies to ensure our program’s success,” Meeks said.

“The AFWFC was established through interagency collaboration in order to better prepare the Air Force for these types of events. The quick interagency response to this wildfire, including the Wildland Support Modules is going exactly according to plan,” said Richard Trevino, operations division chief for the AFCEC Environmental Directorate.

General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport full-scale mass casualty exercise.

A water tender truck supplies water to an Oshkosh T1500 crash truck while simulating extinguishing a fire during an exercise at the General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport in Peoria, Ill. April 22, 2017. Thirty-eight agencies and more than 200 exercise participants took part in the full-scale mass casualty exercise. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Todd Pendleton)

PEORIA, IL, UNITED STATES
06.02.2017
Courtesy Story
182nd Airlift Wing
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Our community stands ready when disaster strikes. Under a Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, or MABAS, umbrella, Peoria County agencies plan, prepare, train and respond to a multitude of incidents and emergencies all over the county.

Thirty-eight agencies and more than 200 exercise participants took part in the General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport full-scale mass casualty exercise last month. Required every three years by the Federal Aviation Administration, the April 22 exercise simulated an aircraft crash with 57 passengers requiring advanced medical treatment and expedient transportation to medical care.

It certainly tested the airport’s emergency response network. Gene Olson, director of airports for the Metropolitan Airport Authority of Peoria, said he was pleased with the overall event.

“My thanks go especially to the 182nd Airlift Wing and its fire department and emergency response planning personnel, since they were instrumental in the planning and execution of this exercise,” he said. “I sleep better knowing that we have such dedicated professionals doing aircraft rescue firefighting at PIA.”

The 182nd Airlift Wing fire department is responsible for all emergency responses to the airport and its properties through a joint-use agreement. The exercise represented six months of coordination by the combined planning team. 182nd Fire Chief Chief Master Sgt. Clifford Otto, 182nd Emergency Manager Senior Master Sgt. Tim Foley, and Kevin Delmastro, OSF disaster preparedness coordinator for Region 2, worked diligently to synchronize the 38 agencies, 120 player participants and 107 Boy Scout troop volunteers.

The 2017 exercise was the largest in Peoria County over the last two years and was widely recognized as a success.

“I think the size and scope was great,” said Julie Leaned, the American Red Cross disaster program manager for the Central and Southern Illinois regions. “What’s most important is that we all learn from this and take that information to improve a real-life event.”

The collaboration of so many different agencies makes this particular exercise unique. City, state and federal government agencies responded to the simulation along with elected officials, airline representatives and even some from Tazewell County Emergency Management.

“It was good to see how the agencies work together…expanding to family assistance is complicated and you laid great groundwork,” said Jean Riehl, the regional Delta Airlines emergency planning and operations representative.

Division Chief Ronald Jones from the Peoria Fire Department participated in his first airport exercise and was part of the evaluation team.

“Being a part of the exercise and getting to know and work with the different agencies and fire departments, knowing what works and what doesn’t…when it does happen, we are all prepared,” he said.

A heartfelt “thank you” to the following agencies who participated in the exercise planning and execution:

182nd Airlift Wing Inspector General
182nd Civil Engineer Squadron Emergency Management
182nd Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department
182nd Maintenance Squadron
182nd Security Forces Squadron
Advanced Medical Transport
Allegiant Airlines
American Airlines
American Red Cross
Bartonville Fire Department
Brimfield Fire Department
Central Illinois Public Information Officer
City Link
Delta Airlines
Federal Aviation Administration
Illinois State Police
Limestone Fire Department
Logan-Trivoli Fire Department
OSF St. Francis Medical Center
Pekin Hospital
Peoria County Coroner
Peoria County Emergency Control Center
Peoria County Emergency Management
Peoria County Public Information Officer
Peoria County Sheriff’s Department
Peoria Emergency Management
Peoria Fire Department
Peoria International Airport Air Traffic Control
Peoria International Airport Director
Peoria International Airport Operations
Salvation Army
Tazewell County Emergency Management
Timber Hollis Fire Department
Transportation Security Administration
United Airlines
Unity Point Health-Methodist
Unity Point Health-Proctor
West Peoria Fire Department

Colorado Air National Guard Airmen team up to save a life

Courtesy Photo | Seven members of the Colorado Air National Guard 140th Wing Explosives Ordnance Disposal Flight responded to a severe car accident May 9, 2017, outside of the Buckley Air Force Base perimeter in Aurora, Colo. The Airmen provided emergency care to an unconscious individual and directed traffic to facilitate access for Aurora Fire and Ambulatory services. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Richard Gibbons)

BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, CO, UNITED STATES
05.17.2017
Story by Capt. Kinder Blacke
Colorado National Guard

For one young man, it may have been a lucky day when he got into a serious car accident just outside of Buckley Air Force Base, Aurora, Colo., May 9, 2017.

Seven members of the Colorado Air National Guard 140th Wing Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight conducting training on the east side of the base witnessed a car accident and immediately ran to assist.

“We were over the fence within 30 seconds,” U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Robert Rich, chief of resources and EOD operator, said.

Rich and six other members – U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Dick Gibbons, the flight chief, and U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Dustin Frey, Staff Sgt. Darrell Linkus, Staff Sgt. Brandon Ulmer, Senior Airman Tom Benedict and Senior Airman Rosen Lima, all EOD operators – jumped the BAFB perimeter fence and ran to the scene of the accident.

“Everyone just kind of knew their role,” Benedict said. “We did what we knew we could do best to contribute.”

Benedict immediately called 911 and brought his battlefield first aid kit to the scene of the accident.

EOD members receive military training in basic first aid.

Linkus, an emergency medical technician and firefighter, and Rich, a former police officer who trained as an emergency first responder, immediately went to help the more seriously injured individual.

“Witnessing the accident, I knew the person in the vehicle that was struck multiple times was in bad shape,” Rich said. “He was very pale and not breathing when we got to him.”

Rich, Linkus and Frey worked together to carefully extract the young man from the vehicle, establish an airway with a nasal pharyngeal, and provided follow-on care until the Aurora Fire Department and ambulances arrived a few minutes later.

“While still unconscious, he was making visible progress as soon as we started working on him,” Rich said.

While the three Airmen tended to the most injured individual, the others worked to direct traffic away from the scene and facilitate the arrival of emergency responders.

“It was an interesting dynamic to watch each member of the team find a way to contribute,” Benedict said. “Nobody needed to be in charge; we all just found a role and filled it.”

The EOD team members said that they are used to high stress environments.

“We get really good trauma training so when the worst happens, our response is automatic: step one; step two; step three; it’s second nature,” Rich said.

Thanks to the heroic efforts of the 140th Wing EOD team., their quick response and close proximity to the scene, the patient was alive when civilian medical service personnel took over.

“The team reacted exactly as I’d expect and hoped they would,” Gibbons said. “We just hope the patient will pull through.”

Photo By 1st Sgt. Angele Ringo | Pvt. Tyreek Bennett, a chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear specialist with the 414th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) Company, prepares to take a patient through the mass casualty decontamination line May 10, 2017 at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center in Butlerville, Ind. Bennett was among 4,100 service members from the Army Reserve, National Guard and Active component, participating in Guardian Response 17, a multi-component training exercise designed to test U.S. Army units’ ability to support the Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) in the event of a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) catastrophe. (U.S. Army Reserve photo by 1st Sgt. Angele Ringo) 

BUTLERVILLE, IN, UNITED STATES
05.10.2017
Story by 1st Sgt. Angele Ringo
215th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

BUTLERVILLE, Ind.--Signs of distress and desperation spray painted on bed sheets hang from dilapidated buildings reduced to rubble from a nuclear blast. ‘Is this hell’ reads one sign waving near a wrecked police vehicle just off a road littered with clothes and debris in every direction.

“It’s kind of hard to simulate [a] chemical [attack] but this is pretty good training,” said Sgt. Nicholas Smoak, a Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Specialist, as he looked around the mass casualty decontamination area.

His unit, the 414th CBRN Company based in Orangeburg, S.C., is part of Guardian Response 17, a multi-component training exercise designed to simulate and test the military’s ability to support civil authorities in the event of a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear incident. The unit specializes in CBRN reconnaissance, decontamination, and analysis. What’s different about this scenario is that their focus is on support of stateside civilian authorities as part of the CBRN Response Enterprise or CRE.

“This is a mission that most folks don’t think we’re involved in,” said Brig. Gen. Michael Dillard, 78th Training Division commanding general. “A lot of our civilian partners call upon the military to assist them with these particular incidents because we also have capability. We have transportation, we have medical, [and] we do decontamination.”

CRE units make up a set of Department of Defense forces that rapidly deploy in the event of a CBRN event. Guardian Response 17 brought nearly 4,100 members from the Army Reserve, National Guard and Active component to work with civilian authorities to save lives in the midst of chaos. The scenario was made all the more real by more than a hundred role players that members of the 414th CBRN Company and the 409th Area Support Medical Company had to assess, decontaminate, treat and transport as quickly as possible.

“This is probably the best training we’ve ever gotten because we’re working with other [military units],” said Smoak. “We’re actually getting live patients. We’re getting a better look at some things.”

414th CBRN Co. Commander, Capt. Raymond Lawson, whose unit will be on-call to support the CRE in June, said the rapid response nature of the mission requires Soldiers to maintain a higher state of readiness and that often means additional training.

“There are certifications that go into this,” said Lawson. “So, there are specialties that are mission specific that a lot of soldiers have to train up for.”

More than half of the Army’s transportation and medical units as well as 39 percent of chemical units reside in the Army Reserve.

While the entire exercise revolved around a nuclear incident, a number of mini scenarios, or injects, forced Soldiers to think on their feet and take action. They worked under the watchful eyes of observer controllers and evaluators, like Catherine Gibson with Advance Technical Education Training (ATEC), who says that incidents around the world in recent years have highlighted the need for civilian authorities to be able to tap into specific military capabilities. Gibson, who is also an Army Reserve chemical noncommissioned officer, also said communication and training have become increasingly more relevant as civilian authorities have begun to recognize military assets as a viable tool.

“You want to be able to come in and work together as a team,” she said. “Prime example [was] 9/11. Officers weren’t talking to the firefighters and the radio communication wasn’t working. That’s when this mission became important and really became big. They realized that people were getting lost, people were dying because of the fact that they couldn’t communicate together.”

CBRN Response Enterprise units remain on call for two years. As the 414th CBRN Company prepares to take on its new responsibilities in June, Lawson said his team is up for the challenge.

“For those that already have careers in emergency services, they love doing this and they love being able to do it here,” said Lawson. “For other Soldiers, it offers them the chance to do something different. It’s an exciting mission. It’s demanding, but it’s rewarding. They like to know that they can be depended on to help in case disaster strikes.”

Coordinated response: Coalition forces conduct first joint crash exercise

First responders with the French air force, or l'Armée de l'air, extract a pilot from a Rafale aircraft during a joint crash exercise at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, May 16, 2017. This exercise was the first of its kind at this location, involving first responders across multiple Coalition partners and testing how well they work together. [Faces of French personnel have been obscured at the request of l'Armée de l'air.] (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Marjorie A. Bowlden)

(UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)
05.16.2017
Story by Staff Sgt. Marjorie Bowlden
380th Air Expeditionary Wing
 Subscribe 13

SOUTHWEST ASIA – Members of the United States, French, Australian and other Coalition air forces recently participated in a joint crash response exercise at an undisclosed location here, May 16, 2017.

This was the first exercise of its kind at this location, said a wing safety officer with the French air force, or l’Armée de l’air. Its purpose was to test how effectively different components of Coalition services were able to work together in the event of an aircraft crash.

“It was the first time everyone [all Coalition partners] participated with multiple services, including medical teams, explosive ordnance disposal and security,” said the French wing safety officer. “This permits us to improve little by little by observing the entire chain of first responders.”

380th Air Expeditionary Wing personnel answered the simulated call with medical and EOD teams to multiple sites. These teams worked hand-in-hand with Coalition partners to get the situation under control.

The exercise was mainly organized by l’Armée de l’air, said Lt. Col. David, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing chief of safety. However, this kind of training is key for the Coalition.

“This is developing relationships,” said David. “We try to deal as often as we can with Coalition partners. We share the airfield, we share the mission, so we want to work as closely with them as we can.”

Staff Sgt. Brad, team leader with the 380th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron EOD flight, had not worked with French military members before, he said. The training was a challenge, especially because of language barriers, but it was also valuable experience for him and his Airmen.

“There’s a lot of workings that go into it, and I think practice is the main thing,” said Brad. “We train all the time so we don’t have to actually have to get into that situation without knowing what to do. If it ever happens in the future, at least we have a general idea of how everything is going to happen.”

Though the final report is not yet complete, and despite a few communication shortfalls, the exercise went well overall, said David. The training opened avenues to pursue further training between Coalition partners to strengthen joint capability.

“We saw a bit of the different processes between what we do, what the Americans do, and how all of it could blend together on the day of an accident,” said the French wing safety officer. “The most important thing is communication and, above all, that we train together regularly.”

Members of the 380th Expeditionary Medical Group medical operations flight transport a patient from the scene of a crash exercise at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, May 16, 2017. Coalition members worked together to respond to two separate exercise sites to test how they would respond in the event of an aircraft mishap. [Faces of French personnel have been obscured at the request of l'Armée de l'air.] (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Marjorie A. Bowlden)

[Editor’s note: Certain quotes have been translated from French.]

[Names of 380 AEW and French personnel have been partially or completely removed for security purposes.]

MCIPAC Firefighters presented Certificate of Commendation

Photo By Lance Cpl. Tayler Schwamb | CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, Japan –The burnt remains of a house that caught fire March 1 stands in Shimabuku, Kitanaka, Okinawa, Japan. The Marine Corps Installation Pacific and Marine Corps Butler Japan, Fire and Emergency Services firefighters were called upon by the local fire department to help put out the fire. The firefighters were recognized for their actions in recovering numerous personal items including passports, a cherished wedding ring, and official documents. (Courtesy Photo)

OKINAWA, JAPAN
05.03.2017
Story by Lance Cpl. Tayler Schwamb
Marine Corps Installations Pacific
 Subscribe 4

CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, Japan—Firefighters with Fire and Emergency Services Marine Corps Installation Pacific-Marine Corps Base Camp Butler Japan, Fire and Emergency Services were presented with a certificate of commendation by Maj. Gen. Joaquin F. Malavet May 3 aboard Camp Foster.

The certificate was presented in recognition of exceptional performance of duties in response to a structure fire in Shimabuku, Kitanaka Village.
On the night of March 1, the MCIPAC firefighters provided mutual aid to the local fire department. By the time that the firefighters had arrived, the fire had already consumed the house, but the local departments and MCIPAC fire combined their manpower and were able to save the surrounding neighborhood from catching fire.

“The house was leveled, there was nothing but ash,” said John E. Roush, the assistant fire chief at MCIPAC. “In the middle of the night they lost everything, but we made sure no one else did.”

Yet, the selfless actions the following day were even more noteworthy.

In the days following this incident, their efforts to care personally for the needs of this displaced family went far and above the call of duty, according to Malavet. It resulted in the recovery of several items of immense emotional and intrinsic value, including a cherished wedding ring, passports, and important documents.

None of this would have been possible without their personal commitment to do the right thing.

"The professionalism, commitment and absolute courage demonstrated by the MCIPAC Fire and Emergency Services was simply extraordinary!” said Malavet, commanding general of MCIPAC. “In fact, their genuine love for people and deep connection to the local community is what drives their passion for service. Simply stated, their purpose is to save lives and they are the very best.”

Hawaii National Guard’s partnership showcased during exercise Balikatan 2017

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Andrew Jackson | Members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines finish constructing a collapsed structure shoring system during a subject matter expert exchange in support of Balikatan 2017 at Fort Magsaysay in Santa Rosa, Nueva Ecija, May 8, 2017. These skills ensure that first responders and military members can secure and remove victims during a real-life crisis. Balikatan is an annual U.S.-Philippine bilateral military exercise focused on a variety of missions, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and counterterrorism. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Tech. Sgt. Andrew L. Jackson)

PHILIPPINES
05.13.2017
Story by Tech. Sgt. Andrew Jackson
State of Hawaii, Department of Defense, Public Affairs Office

One of the key themes of the 2017 iteration of Balikatan, the annual U.S.-Philippine military bilateral training event, was Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Recovery (HA/DR). The Hawaii National Guard’s Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Explosive (CBRNE) - Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP) Search and Extraction team has been participating in Balikatan since 2011. The CERFP’s Soldiers and Airmen have been working alongside the Armed Forces of the Philippines 525th Engineering Battalion and growing each other’s mastery of search and rescue techniques through Subject Matter Exchanges.

“The main goal for me, is that we operate as a team,” said Major James Kanoholani, Officer in Charge, Hawaii National Guard CERFP. “We speak the same language. We use the same techniques so that when the event comes, it will be that much easier to react.”

Each year, both forces bring new techniques that they have learned over the past twelve months to share with each other. Once this knowledge is reviewed and discussed, the skills are then demonstrated, establishing a base-line skill set. All of the training events are very hands-on with very limited lecture. This year soldiers from the AFP’s 2nd, 7th, and 9th infantry divisions along with Sailors, Airmen and Marines from throughout the AFP, participated in the HA/DR search and extraction exercise at Fort Magsaysay, north of Manila. The training facility used this year was an disused hospital site, perfect for standing in as a collapsed structure.

The HING brought 26 soldiers and three Airmen while over 170 members of the AFP participated. Some of the HA/DR activities conducted included: rescue skills such as rope rescue, collapsed structure shoring, manual lifting and hauling techniques, breaching and breaking, and medical treatment of victims. The medical portion of the exchange and training was bolstered as well. A course was added to the curriculum and was taught by three Hawaii Air Guardsmen from the 154th Wing’s, Detachment 1, a unit that makes up the medical treatment arm of the HING’s CERFP team.

“Since this is a HA/DR exercise, and at the CERFP, that is our primary focus because we are the disaster recovery team for the state of Hawaii,” said Master Sgt. Jared Mina, 154th Wing, Detachment 1, Search and Extraction Rescue Operations. “What we bring to the table as the Search and Extraction Rescue Operations group, are full time Emergency Medical Technicians, firefighters, and some paramedics. Plus we are qualified in rope rescue and hazardous material operations. We can operate in the disaster area and in a chem-bio CBRN environment. Those are the skills we are sharing with the AFP to make their overall capability greater. In-turn they are also sharing their capabilities with us, it has been a very good Subject Matter Expert Exchange (SMEE).”

The Balikatan HA/DR portion of the exercise is conducted in a round robin format with small groups. Each spending a day on one of the rescue skill stations performing skill checks for the rescue experts from the 525th and the HING. The next day brings another skill to the forefront.

Disaster recovery in Hawaii is the mission of the state’s National Guard and the CERFP is at the center of that effort. They spend months each year training and maintaining individual proficiency while preparing to respond to a natural disaster, both no-warning events like tsunamis and earthquakes, to hurricanes. For members of the Hawaii Army National Guard, this is actually their secondary duty. They all belong to other units and are required to keep up proficiency in both aspects of their guard jobs, which for most of them is in traditional or part-time status.

The Hawaii National Guard is a force with two main missions, Federal and State. Their federal mission is national security and the state mission is supporting the state during times of emergency. All the while, Hawaii and the Philippines share in their vulnerabilities to certain types of natural disasters, namely hurricanes or typhoons, earthquakes, and tsunamis. They also have similar climates and many members of the HING are of Filipino descent, making the partnership more like a close friendship.

“This is going to help us by not only keeping our training current but also developing a camaraderie with the AFP,” said Sgt. Kage Fergerstrom, Hawaii CERFP. “So if we need to respond here, we already have a good rapport between our two nations.”

Throughout the exchange, safety was on everyone’s mind. Making sure all the participants were properly protected and well hydrated.

“The safety of the rescuer always comes first,” said Sgt. Fergerstrom. “The safety of the team and then the safety of the victim. We always want to make sure we are safe so that we do not become an extra victim.”

During the closing days of the week long SMEE, Brig. Gen. Keith Tamashiro, HIARNG Commander, Brig. Gen. Stephen L.A. Michael, 25th Inf. Div., the AFP and leaders from other countries all toured the site to see the capabilities of the HING and AFP soldiers. This was followed by a media day where over 70 international, national and local journalists were invited to witness the types of HA/DR techniques that had been rehearsed during the 2017 iteration of Balikatan.