thedrifter
11-27-03, 08:20 AM
Chemical release simulated in Baltimore subway.
Submitted by: 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (Anti-Terrorism)
Story Identification Number: 2003112591057
Story by Cpl. Sharon E. Fox
BALTIMORE(November 16, 2003) -- Men and women in space-suit like uniforms roamed through a smoke-filled subway tunnel. All that could be heard were the shrieks of victims suffering with the effects of a lethal gas attack. All that was visible were the dead and injured bodies draped on the stairs, walkways and floors of the contaminated, underground space.
The masked warriors of the Chemical Biological Incident Response Force, 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (Anti-Terrorism), along with the Baltimore City Fire Department, raced evacuate, decontaminate and treat any survivors during a mass-casualty consequence management drill at the at Johns Hopkins Memorial Hospital subway station.
"This joint effort between the city and the Marines is one of our many efforts to makes us a faster and more efficient rescue force during emergencies. This simulated chemical attack and rescue is a large scale, mass casualty incident that could actually take place," said Col. Dwight E. Trafton, commanding officer, CBIRF. "Having real-time simulation in the attack and arrival of rescue teams will allow evaluators to give us input on what we need to improve on to make any actual, disaster rescue go as smoothly as possible."
The Baltimore City Fire Department lead in the planning for this simulation.
"Many of our firefighters and Department personnel have put a great deal of time and effort into this project," said fire Lt. Kenneth Hyde, hazardous materials coordinator, BCFD. "This simulation regulates the decontamination capabilities of CBIRF and their compatibility with city and county hazmat teams."
"CBIRF is an asset to our rescue mission," said Hyde, a Baltimore native. "Our department is very impressed with their (Marines) work, and hopes the joint efforts of the City and the Marine Corps may be shared with others."
Emergency vehicles rang out the alert as Baltimore City's first responders swiftly set up medical and decontamination tents to treat casualties.
In this exercise, role-playing victims wore tags identifying their wounds? severity and condition to rescuers. Most of the casualties were CBIRF Marines and volunteers from the fire department.
Organo-phosphate, an extremely toxic pesticide, can be absorbed through the skin and by inhalation.
Responders recovered over 200 casualties during the exercise. In this scenario, terrorist passengers left bags on the platform of the subway station before boarding the train. The bags released chemical agent into the boarding area, resulting in 15 fatal and 20 severe injuries. A white, powdery substance covered the entire platform area and upper mezzanine levels.
As participants screamed and attempted to escape in pain and panic, authorities controlled the situation as best they could before the emergency teams arrived.
About 100 Marines of the CBIRF Initial Response Force arrived to support the Baltimore City Fire Department.
"As soon as we got to the subway station, we surveyed the scene to determine if we needed to clear through any debris that may have blocked us from saving the victims," said Sgt. Gary D. Garcia, rescue technician, CBIRF. "When we saw there was nothing to be moved, our team helped with the extraction of victims."
Garcia, a San Angelo, Texas, native felt that the extraction of the subway casualties went very smoothly, especially with the cooperation of the fire department.
Emergency teams rushed victims to the decontamination tents and quickly made their way back into the station to evacuate all the others.
"Our Marines have been doing a great job of quickly evaluating the condition of the victims and getting them attention depending on the severity of their injuries," said Staff Sgt. John D. Nichols, decontamination platoon sergeant and evaluator for the exercise.
The Los Angeles native was one of many CBIRF evaluators for the exercise.
Most of the Marines agreed that the simulation ran smoothly and expressed confidence that if a situation like this really happened, they could take care of it.
"It is important to use large venues like a subway to practice rescue," said Lt. Col. Scott A.Graham. "We get to practice with first responders (fire dept) so if an incident like this really occurred, we would know the most effective way to work with them.
"It gives us an opportunity to contend with busy streets and city traffic," said the El Dorado, Kansas, native. "Practice makes us more confident and comfortable in large-scale events so we can function effectively in real-world situations."
"We do exercises in major metropolitan areas every month or so," said Trafton, "We have been planning for this simulation for more than four months with the fire department.
"A lot of time an effort has been put into this event," said the Seattle, Wa., native. "It has come together well and I feel that both our Marines and the city have done a great job."
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/D611A9345DA0128185256DE9004DE802?opendocument
Sempers,
Roger
:marine:
Submitted by: 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (Anti-Terrorism)
Story Identification Number: 2003112591057
Story by Cpl. Sharon E. Fox
BALTIMORE(November 16, 2003) -- Men and women in space-suit like uniforms roamed through a smoke-filled subway tunnel. All that could be heard were the shrieks of victims suffering with the effects of a lethal gas attack. All that was visible were the dead and injured bodies draped on the stairs, walkways and floors of the contaminated, underground space.
The masked warriors of the Chemical Biological Incident Response Force, 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (Anti-Terrorism), along with the Baltimore City Fire Department, raced evacuate, decontaminate and treat any survivors during a mass-casualty consequence management drill at the at Johns Hopkins Memorial Hospital subway station.
"This joint effort between the city and the Marines is one of our many efforts to makes us a faster and more efficient rescue force during emergencies. This simulated chemical attack and rescue is a large scale, mass casualty incident that could actually take place," said Col. Dwight E. Trafton, commanding officer, CBIRF. "Having real-time simulation in the attack and arrival of rescue teams will allow evaluators to give us input on what we need to improve on to make any actual, disaster rescue go as smoothly as possible."
The Baltimore City Fire Department lead in the planning for this simulation.
"Many of our firefighters and Department personnel have put a great deal of time and effort into this project," said fire Lt. Kenneth Hyde, hazardous materials coordinator, BCFD. "This simulation regulates the decontamination capabilities of CBIRF and their compatibility with city and county hazmat teams."
"CBIRF is an asset to our rescue mission," said Hyde, a Baltimore native. "Our department is very impressed with their (Marines) work, and hopes the joint efforts of the City and the Marine Corps may be shared with others."
Emergency vehicles rang out the alert as Baltimore City's first responders swiftly set up medical and decontamination tents to treat casualties.
In this exercise, role-playing victims wore tags identifying their wounds? severity and condition to rescuers. Most of the casualties were CBIRF Marines and volunteers from the fire department.
Organo-phosphate, an extremely toxic pesticide, can be absorbed through the skin and by inhalation.
Responders recovered over 200 casualties during the exercise. In this scenario, terrorist passengers left bags on the platform of the subway station before boarding the train. The bags released chemical agent into the boarding area, resulting in 15 fatal and 20 severe injuries. A white, powdery substance covered the entire platform area and upper mezzanine levels.
As participants screamed and attempted to escape in pain and panic, authorities controlled the situation as best they could before the emergency teams arrived.
About 100 Marines of the CBIRF Initial Response Force arrived to support the Baltimore City Fire Department.
"As soon as we got to the subway station, we surveyed the scene to determine if we needed to clear through any debris that may have blocked us from saving the victims," said Sgt. Gary D. Garcia, rescue technician, CBIRF. "When we saw there was nothing to be moved, our team helped with the extraction of victims."
Garcia, a San Angelo, Texas, native felt that the extraction of the subway casualties went very smoothly, especially with the cooperation of the fire department.
Emergency teams rushed victims to the decontamination tents and quickly made their way back into the station to evacuate all the others.
"Our Marines have been doing a great job of quickly evaluating the condition of the victims and getting them attention depending on the severity of their injuries," said Staff Sgt. John D. Nichols, decontamination platoon sergeant and evaluator for the exercise.
The Los Angeles native was one of many CBIRF evaluators for the exercise.
Most of the Marines agreed that the simulation ran smoothly and expressed confidence that if a situation like this really happened, they could take care of it.
"It is important to use large venues like a subway to practice rescue," said Lt. Col. Scott A.Graham. "We get to practice with first responders (fire dept) so if an incident like this really occurred, we would know the most effective way to work with them.
"It gives us an opportunity to contend with busy streets and city traffic," said the El Dorado, Kansas, native. "Practice makes us more confident and comfortable in large-scale events so we can function effectively in real-world situations."
"We do exercises in major metropolitan areas every month or so," said Trafton, "We have been planning for this simulation for more than four months with the fire department.
"A lot of time an effort has been put into this event," said the Seattle, Wa., native. "It has come together well and I feel that both our Marines and the city have done a great job."
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/D611A9345DA0128185256DE9004DE802?opendocument
Sempers,
Roger
:marine: