CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Units from across Charleston AFB participated in a base-wide exercise here Feb. 24.
Crisis Look 09-01 tested the readiness of units and individuals on base during a simulated attack with a weapon of mass destruction.
For this situation, exercise evaluation team members were looking at how first responders from the 437th Security Forces and the 437th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire and Emergency Services Flight responded to a simulated explosion. Various units throughout the base were observed by EET members on how they received the initial information and, once receiving, how they reacted to the scenarios presented to them.
"We always need to be prepared for any attack against the base," said Dave Hunt, 437th Airlift Wing Inspections and Readiness chief. "The intent was to evaluate our abilities to responsed to a WMD event, and also be able to continue the things we do on base.
"Just about every unit on base was impacted ... it cut across the whole base," he said.
Not only was the exercise held to practice for a possible real-world event, but according to Mr. Hunt, is was also held to prepare for the upcoming emergency management inspection during the base's unit compliance inspection in May.
To help add realism to the exercise, Airmen and mannequins were used as victims from the explosion to represent injured and deceased individuals at the scene. Powder residue was also used to simulate radioactive material and timing mechanisms were used to help in the simulation of the explosion.
While the exercise was held to test the abilities of how Airmen respond to an incident on base, the scope of the exercise was wider to see if other individuals on base would react to such an incident.
"From a real-world stand point, if an event such as this occurred on Charleston AFB everyone would be affected," said Mr. Hunt. "Active-duty Airmen, family members, retirees, civilians, contractors and visitors to the base could be affected ... and we must be able to notify them of what is going on and what to do in such an event.
"The base commander is ultimately responsible for everyone on base, regardless of their status they must be included in the way we respond to an incident."