First responders tested during exercise

Published Nov. 28, 2006
By Tech. Sgt. Doug Hays
434th ARW Public Affairs

GRISSOM AIR RESERVE BASE, Ind -- More than 120 firefighters from nine different departments in north-central Indiana and southern Michigan converged on Grissom for a joint domestic terrorism exercise.

The firefighters had no idea what scenarios they'd be facing, only that they were scheduled to participate in an exercise, said Chief William Barton, Grissom's fire chief.
As the initial weapons of mass destruction incident unfolded, the pre-staged agencies had to respond as they would normally do under existing mutual aid agreements. For some that meant an hour and a half travel time, he said.

Based on inputs given to the departments, nine different scenarios were being played out at the same time giving training opportunities for everyone.

Grissom fire fighters took the lead with Pat Bernotas, assistant fire chief, serving as the joint incident commander for the overall scenario.

In addition to heading the recovery operations, Grissom fire fighters had two scenarios they responded to as well.

A high angle rescue operation and a confined space rescue but rescuers high above the ground and below it as well.

The high angle rescue response scenario had a worker injured by an explosion and blown off his work platform on a tower near the old fire station. The worker was unconscious and dangling from his safety line. Grissom Rescuer Dan Wolf had to climb to the victim and secure him with a rescue line and then release and lower the individual to the ground for medical treatment.

The confined space scenario involved an unconscious victim in a small underground mechanical room that lost consciousness while working on lines about eight feet below ground.

Aaron Dehner and David Perryman were lowered into the room using a mechanical tripod system. Using lock out/tag out procedures to make the area safe from electrical, gas and mechanical hazards the two fire fighters were able to load the victim into a basket and bring him to the surface for treatment, said Matthew Ellis, a fire captain.

"The state evaluators said we had one of the best and quickest operations they have seen," Mr. Ellis said of the confined space rescue operation.

All the scenarios were designed and evaluated by state fire officials.

Grissom was chosen as the host for the scenarios based on its central location and the training areas the base had to offer, Chief Barton added.

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First responders tested during exercise

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