CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
From obscurity, force protection has become the buzzword of the 21st century operational environment.
Lessons learned from the tragic events of Khobar Towers, the Oklahoma City bombing, Columbine, 9/11 and more recently the Virginia Tech shootings have forced leaders at all levels to focus on providing a secure environment for employees and residents.
Preparation, deterrence and response capabilities are the cornerstones to mitigation against these acts of domestic and international terrorism.
For military installations, mitigation methodologies differ and simultaneously require a balance of operational necessity and security. No single formula works for each location or each mission and commanders must use their assessment of threat and vulnerability to prepare for the worst possible circumstance.
The shootings at Virginia Tech reminded us yet again that acts of domestic terrorism are not necessarily committed by traditional terrorist factions; the disgruntled employee or student can be just as dangerous.
As people living and working on a military installation, we must be prepared for any contingency to include something resembling what happened at Virginia Tech.
Leadership from the highest level in the Air Force has directed that installations check their readiness for just this type of scenario.
The 437th Airlift Wing Inspector General's office has prepared and executed exercises for security forces and other emergency response agencies to test that preparation and plans have been adjusted and tested. As part of this process, the need to provide the public with timely information to safeguard lives has been a popular topic.
The base has many options to alert the public to include sirens, the giant voice system, base wide e-mail alerts and the commander' s access channel.
You may know all or some of these systems, but the traditional means for alerting, is the giant voice and siren systems. These systems are used for numerous purposes to include the sound of the National Anthem playing in the evening or Reveille playing in the morning.
Standard signals exist for mass notification to the public including an attack warning.
During a situation where the base is subject to an "attack," the "ATTACK" signal is audible with a three-minute wavering tone that will be broadcasted.
So what should people on base do if they hear this signal? Seek shelter immediately!
Do not venture outside of your work place. Stay indoors until the "ALL CLEAR" is given by the giant voice system, base wide e-mail alert or the commander' s access channel.
Building managers, employees, military members or other personnel should take steps to secure their facilities without going outside and secure facility doors and windows.
Avoid travel on base roadways to allow security forces and other emergency responders to respond to and deal with the situation.
Tune to commanders access channel 2 for updates or watch for a direct messenger e-mail on your computer. If ordered to evacuate by emergency responders, take the most direct route possible.
When the threat is neutralized, the "ALL CLEAR" signal with a steady tone or the words "all clear" will be sounded.
These steps will help you stay safe and provide you with information that could help save lives.