A.V. CRASH TEST MULTIAGENCY DRILL GAUGES RESPONSE TO THREAT.Byline: Jim Skeen Staff WriterCALIFORNIA California (kăl'ĭfôr`nyə), most populous state in the United States, located in the Far West; bordered by Oregon (N), Nevada and, across the Colorado River, Arizona (E), Mexico (S), and the Pacific Ocean (W). CITY - In a major multiagency exercise, emergency teams from Edwards Air Force Base Edwards Air Force Base, U.S. military installation, 301,000 acres (121,805 hectares), S Calif., NE of Lancaster; est. 1933. It is one of the largest air force bases in the United States and has the world's longest runway. , California City and Kern Kern, river, 155 mi (249 km) long, rising in the S Sierra Nevada Mts., E Calif., and flowing south, then southwest to a reservoir in the extreme southern part of the San Joaquin valley. The river has Isabella Dam as its chief facility. County were tested in how they would react to an Air Force transport aircraft hitting a remote desert home. Testing how well military and civilian personnel could work together, the exercise involved some 80 personnel from Edwards, Kern County Fire Department, California City police and fire departments, and Hall ambulance company. ``This tests the base's ability to respond to any kind of threat,'' said Richard Carlson, senior exercise planner for Edwards. The exercise, with Edwards airmen playing the role of the casualties, was a complicated one involving the scenario of a C-5 Galaxy The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a military transport aircraft designed to provide strategic heavy airlift over intercontinental distances. It is the largest American military transport and one of the largest military aircraft in the world, designed to carry outsize and oversize cargo. transport loaded with troops and munitions mu·ni·tion n. War materiel, especially weapons and ammunition. Often used in the plural. tr.v. mu·ni·tioned, mu·ni·tion·ing, mu·ni·tions To supply with munitions. crashing into a home, killing four people and injuring 14. Maj. Scott Brady, commander of Edwards' 95th Mission Support Squadron A squadron is a small unit or formation of cavalry, aircraft (including balloons), or warships. Army and Marines A cavalry squadron (horse or armoured) typically consists of three to five troops. and one of five Edwards officers who could serve as an incident commander in a real disaster, said his initial response was that the exercise went very well. He said he was pleased with the inter-agency cooperation, including the smooth exchange of the incident command. ``One of the highs was the cooperation with local authorities,'' Brady said. Within the next two weeks, an exercise evaluation team will offer its own critique to the commanders. A written report will be made available to all of the base personnel. The first to respond to the scene were California City's fire and police departments. One of the first tasks was to set up an incident command to coordinate rescue efforts, said Fire Chief Michael Antonucci Jr. ``They need to establish a good command from the beginning - if not it gets fragmented frag·ment n. 1. A small part broken off or detached. 2. An incomplete or isolated portion; a bit: overheard fragments of their conversation; extant fragments of an old manuscript. 3. ,'' Antonucci said. ``They did a good job of that.'' Brady said he was notified of the drill at 8:30 a.m. and reported to the battle staff - a group comprising 95th Air Base Wing Commander Col. Wendy Masiello and her support staff. As Air Base Wing commander, Masiello is in charge of the units that would respond in such an emergency, including security forces, medical personnel, and firefighters. The battle staff briefed Brady on what they know - the aircraft type, the number of people on board, any munitions, and so forth. ``I'm their eyes and ears out here,'' Brady said. A disaster control group was formed to handle the incident. In addition to representatives of the emergency response units such a and fire, the group also includes representatives of virtually every support unit on the base, including legal staff, a chaplain CHAPLAIN. A clergyman appointed to say prayers and perform divine service. Each house of congress usually appoints it own chaplain. , and civil engineering. Shortly after 10 a.m., Brady arrived at the exercise scene to take command from the civilian emergency crews. After the exercise, a debriefing de·brief·ing n. 1. The act or process of debriefing or of being debriefed. 2. The information imparted during the process of being debriefed. Noun 1. is held with the participants to go over what went right and what areas need improvement. ``The thing about an exercise is that it is a learning experience,'' Brady said. Jim Skeen, (661) 267-5743 james.skeen(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Firefighters from Edwards Air Force Base wearing silver protective suits and a technician See PC technician and software technician. following check for ``radiation.'' (2 -- color) A response team checks volunteers from Edwards Air Force Base who acted as victims. (3) A Kern County Fire Department helicopter flies over the drill site Wednesday in California City. Jeff Goldwater/Staff Photographer |
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